*     _^.  V     W  id      *4 

Arfnur Hornblou' 


2440 


A   SMALL   JEWELLED   HAND    STRUCK   HIM    FULL    ON"   THE    MOUTH. 

Frontispiece,  p.  116 


THE    MASK 


A  Story  of  Love  and  Adventure 


BY 


ARTHUR  HORNBLOW 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  NOVELS  "THE  LION  AND  THE  MOUSE,"  "THE 

GAMBLERS,"  "BOUGHT  AND  PAID  FOR,"  "BY  RIGHT  OF 

CONQUEST,"  "THE  END  OF  THE  GAME,"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATIONS     BY 

PAUL    STAHR 


G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  NEW  YORK 


COPYRIGHT,  1913.  BY 
G.  W.  DILLINGHAM  COMPANY 


fhe  MaiJk 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PACK 

A  small  jewelled  band  struck  him  full  on  the  mouth. 

Frontispiece.    116 

"  Yes,  you  are  my  brother.    We  are  twins." 153 

"I  adore  you — I  adore  you,"  he  murmured,  as  he  kissed  her 

again 280 


2136292 


THE  MASK 


CHAPTER  I 

THERE!    What  did  I  tell  you?    The  news 
is  out!" 

With  a  muttered  exclamation  of  an- 
noyance, Kenneth  Traynor  put  down  his  coffee  cup 
with  a  crash  and,  leaning  over  the  table,  pointed  out 
to  his  wife  a  despatch  from  London,  given  promi- 
nence in  the  morning  paper,  which  ran  as  follows: 

Advices  from  Cape  Town  report  the  finding 
on  a  farm  near  Fontein,  a  hundred  miles  north 
of  here,  of  a  diamond  which  in  size  is  only  sec- 
ond to  the  famous  Koh-i-noor.  The  stone,  which 
is  in  the  shape  of  an  egg  with  the  top  cut  off, 
weighs  1,649  carats,  and  was  discovered  after 
blasting  at  the  foot  of  some  rocks  on  land  ad- 
jacent to  the  tract  owned  by  the  Americo-African 
Mining  Company  of  New  York.  It  is  understood 
that  the  American  Company  is  negotiating  for 
the  property;  some  say  the  transfer  has  already 
been  made.  If  this  is  true,  the  finding  of  this 
colossal  stone  means  a  windfall  for  the  Yankee 
stockholders. 


THE    MASK 


The  Traynor  home,  No. Gramercy  Park, 

was  one  of  those  dignified,  old-fashioned  residences 
that  still  remain  in  New  York  to  remind  our  vulgar, 
ostentatious  nouveaux  riches  of  the  days  when  cul- 
ture and  refinement  counted  for  something  more 
than  mere  wealth.  Overlooking  the  railed-in  square 
with  its  green  lawns,  pretty  winding  paths  and  well- 
dressed  children  romping  at  play,  it  had  a  high 
stoop  which  opened  into  a  wide  hall,  decorated  with 
obsolete  weapons  and  trophies  of  the  hunt.  On  the 
right  were  rich  tapestries,  masking  the  folding  doors 
of  a  spacious  drawing-room,  richly  decorated  and 
furnished  in  Louis  XIV.  period.  Beyond  this,  to 
the  rear  of  the  house  which  had  been  built  out  to 
the  extreme  end  of  the  lot,  was  the  splendidly  ap- 
pointed dining-room  with  its  magnificent  fireplace 
of  sculptured  white  marble,  surmounted  by  a  strik- 
ing portrait  in  oils  by  Carolus  Duran  of  Mrs.  Tray- 
nor— a  painting  which  had  been  one  of  the  most 
successful  pictures  of  the  previous  year's  salon. 

In  a  clinging,  white  silk  negligee  gown,  the  gos- 
samer folds  of  which  only  partially  veiled  the  out- 
lines of  a  slender,  graceful  figure,  Helen  sat  at  the 

8 


THE    MASK 


breakfast  table  opposite  her  husband,  toying  lan- 
guidly with  her  knife  and  fork.  It  was  nearly  noon, 
long  past  the  usual  breakfast  time,  and  by  every 
known  gastronomical  law  her  appetite  should  have 
been  on  keen  edge.  But  this  morning  she  left  every- 
thing untasted.  Even  the  delicious  wheat  cakes, 
which  none  better  than  Mammy,  their  Southern 
cook,  knew  how  to  do  to  a  point,  did  not  tempt  her. 
They  had  been  out  to  dinner  the  night  before.  Her 
head  ached;  she  was  nervous  and  feverish.  Al- 
ways full  of  good  spirits  and  laughter,  ever  the  soul 
and  life  of  the  house,  it  was  unusual  to  find  her  in 
this  mood,  and  if  her  husband,  now  voraciously  de- 
vouring the  tempting  array  of  ham  and  eggs  spread 
before  him,  had  not  been  so  absorbed  in  the  news 
of  the  day,  he  would  have  quickly  noticed  it,  and 
guessed  there  was  something  amiss. 

Certainly  the  appearance  of  the  dining-room  was 
enough  to  upset  the  nerves  of  anyone,  especially  a 
sensitive  young  woman  who  prided  herself  on  her 
housekeeping.  All  around  was  chaos  and  confu- 
sion. The  usually  sedate,  orderly  dining-room  was 
littered  with  trunks,  grips,  umbrellas  and  canes  en- 

9 


THE    MASK 


veloped  in  rugs — all  the  confusion  incidental  to  a 
hurried  departure. 

She  took  the  newspaper,  read  the  despatch  and 
handed  it  back  in  silence. 

"Isn't  that  the  very  deuce !"  he  went  on  peevishly. 
"We've  been  trying  our  utmost  to  keep  it  secret. 
Unless  we're  quick,  there'll  be  a  rush  of  adventurers 
from  all  parts  of  the  world  before  we  can  secure  the 
options.  Happily  the  despatch  is  vague.  They 
don't  know  all  the  facts.  If  they  did "  Lower- 
ing his  voice  and  looking  around  cautiously  to  make 
sure  that  the  butler  had  left  the  room  and  no  one 
;was  listening,  he  continued:  "Besides  you  know 
;what  I  am  to  bring  back.  It  couldn't  be  entrusted 
to  anyone  else.  Just  think — a  stone  worth  nearly  a 
million  dollars !  I  hope  no  one  will  guess  I  have  it 
in  my  possession.  It  must  be  brought  safe  to  New 
[York.  That's  why  it's  so  important  that  I  go  at 
once.  Even  by  catching  the  Mauretania  to-morrow, 
I  can't  reach  Cape  Town  for  a  month,  and  every 
moment  counts  now." 

As  Helen  was  still  silent  he  glanced  across  the 
table  at  her  for  the  first  time.  Her  pallor  and  the 

10 


THE    MASK 


drooping  lines  about  her  mouth  told  him  something 
was  wrong.     Instantly  concerned,  he  asked: 

"What's  the  matter,  dear?" 

"I'm  horribly  nervous." 

"What  about?" 

"This  trip  of  yours,  of  course." 

"You  ought  to  be  used  to  them  by  this  time. 
This  isn't  the  first  time  I've  had  to  leave  you  since 
our  marriage." 

"I  didn't  mind  the  other  trips  so  much.  When 
you  went  to  Mexico  and  Alaska,  it  didn't  seem  so 
far  away.  But  this  journey  to  South  Africa  is  dif- 
ferent. You  are  running  a  terrible  risk  carrying 
that  diamond.  I  can't  shake  off  a  horrible  feeling 
that  something  dreadful  will  happen." 

Surprised  less  at  what  she  said  than  at  her  seri- 
ous manner,  he  laid  down  the  newspaper,  and, 
jumping  up,  went  over  to  her.  His  wife  sat  mo- 
tionless, her  lips  trembling,  her  large  eyes  filled  with 
tears.  In  spite  of  a  palpable  effort  at  self-control, 
it  was  evident  that  she  was  laboring  under  great 
nervous  tension.  Bending  caressingly  over  her,  he 
said  anxiously: 

ii 


THE    MASK 


"Why  Helen,  old  girl!    What's  the  matter?" 

She  made  no  answer.  Her  head  fell  on  his 
breast.  For  a  moment  she  could  not  speak.  Her 
emotion  seemed  to  choke  her  utterance,  paralyze 
her  speech.  He  insisted : 

"What  is  it,  dearie?"  he  demanded. 

"I'm  so  nervous  about  your  going,  I'm  so  afraid 
about  your  having  the  diamond,"  she  sobbed.  Sud- 
denly, as  if  unable  longer  to  control  herself,  she 
rose  from  the  table  and  threw  her  arms  around  his 
neck.  Passionately  she  cried :  "Oh,  Kenneth,  don't 
go!  Don't  go!  I  feel  that  something  will  happen." 

He  laughed  carelessly  as  he  fondled  her.  More 
seriously  he  replied : 

"I  hope  something  does  happen.  That's  what 
I'm  going  out  there  for.  Why,  Helen  dear,  I  don't 
think  you  quite  realize  what  this  trip  means  to  us. 
If  the  deal  goes  through,  and  we  get  full  control  of 
all  that  property,  we'll  all  be  as  rich  as  Croesus. 
Just  think,  dear,  300,000  square  miles  of  the  most 
wonderful  diamond  producing  country.  In  ten 
days  they  found  400  beautifully  clear  stones,  some 
of  them  weighing  over  a  hundred  carats.  If  the 

12 


THE    MASK 


reports  are  true,  we  shall  have  a  group  of  mines  as 
valuable  as  the  famous  De  Beers  group.  Do  you 
know  what  they  have  produced  to  date  in  actual 
money  ?" 

The  young  woman  shook  her  head.  Usually  she 
was  glad  enough  to  listen  to  her  husband's  business 
plans,  but  to-day  they  wearied  her.  Her  mind  was 
too  much  preoccupied  with  something  that  con- 
cerned her  far  more.  The  idea  of  this  coming  sep- 
aration, the  knowledge  that  he  was  running  a  risk, 
had  left  her  singularly  depressed.  She  had  tried  to 
remain  calm  and  control  her  emotion,  but  the  effort 
was  beyond  her.  The  prospect  of  this  separation, 
with  its  vague,  undefined  forebodings  of  disaster, 
was  simply  intolerable.  The  tears  she  was  unable 
to  restrain  rolled  silently  down  her  cheeks. 

He  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  Never  had  he  seen 
her  in  this  mood.  Approaching  her  more  closely, 
he  said  kindly: 

"That  can't  be  the  only  reason,  dear,  what's  the 
matter?" 

She  hesitated  a  moment  before  she  answered  : 

"I'm  very  nervous  to-day.    I  was  dreadfully  irri- 

13 


THE    MASK 


tated  last  night  at  the  dinner.     I  wish  I  hadn't 
gone " 

"Who  irritated  you?" 

"That  man  Signer  Keralio.  I  simply  can't  tol- 
erate the  man.  How  I  hate  him!" 

"Why— what  did  he  do?" 

"He  did  nothing.  He  wouldn't  dare — there. 
But  I  wouldn't  care  to  be  alone  with  him.  His  eyes 
were  enough.  He  imagines  he  is  irresistible,  and 
that  every  woman  is  immoral.  That  is  the  kind  of 
man  he  is.  He  annoyed  me  all  evening.  There 
was  no  getting  away  from  him." 

Kenneth  laughed  and  went  back  to  finish  his 
breakfast,  quite  indifferent  to  what  he  had  just 
heard.  He  knew  his  wife  too  well  to  be  afraid  of 
any  number  of  Signor  Keralios.  Humming  a  tune, 
he  said  carelessly: 

"Why  didn't  you  call  me?" 

"What?  Create  a  scandal?  That  would  only 
make  me  ridiculous.  He  wouldn't  care.  I  can't 
bear  the  sight  of  the  man,  yet  I  have  to  be  polite 
to  him." 

Kenneth  nodded. 

14 


THE    MASK 


"Yes — I  have  reasons  for  not  caring  to  quarrel 
with  Keralio  just  now." 

She  looked  up  quickly. 

"Why?  What  is  that  man  to  you?  He's  your 
fencing  master,  I  know,  but  that's  no  reason  for 
making  a  friend  of  him.  I  never  understood  why 
you  associated  with  him.  He  is  so  different  to 
you." 

Her  husband  smiled.  He  adored  his  wife  and 
admired  the  sex  in  general,  but,  like  most  men,  he 
had  never  had  much  respect  for  women's  judg- 
ment. Women  were  made  to  be  loved;  not  to  dis- 
cuss business  with.  Indulgently  he  said: 

"My  dear,  you  don't  understand.  I  have  im- 
portant financial  relations  with  Keralio.  I  don't 
care  for  him  myself,  but  one  can't  choose  one's 
business  associates.  He  and  I  are  interested  in 
a  silver  mine  in  Mexico.  Thanks  to  him,  I  got  in 
on  the  ground  floor.  One  of  these  days  the  in- 
vestment will  bring  me  a  big  return." 

His  wife  shrugged  her  shoulders.  Incredulously 
she  retorted : 

"Not  if  Keralio  has  anything  to  do  with  it.     I 

15 


THE    MASK 


don't  trust  him.     He  has  deceit  and  evil  written 
all  over  his  face." 

Amused  at  her  petulance,  Kenneth  jumped  up 
impulsively  and  took  his  wife  in  his  arms. 

Abandoning  herself  willingly  to  his  embrace,  for 
a  moment  her  head  fell  back  on  his  broad  shoulder, 
and  she  smiled  up  at  him.  From  her  soft,  yielding 
form  arose  that  subtle,  familiar  perfume,  the  in- 
toxicating, vague,  indefinable  aroma  of  the  well 
groomed  woman  that  never  fails  to  set  a  man's 
blood  on  fire.  Bending  low  until  his  mouth  touched 
hers,  he  kissed  her  until  her  face  glowed  under  the 
ardor  of  his  amative  caress.  But  to-day  she  was 
not  in  the  mood  to  respond. 

"Don't — don't!"  she  panted,  striving  to  free 
herself. 

"Admit  that  you're  foolish  or  I'll  do  it  again/'  he 
laughed. 

"Perhaps  I  am.  It's  selfish  of  me  to  make  it 
harder  for  you  to  go  away." 

The  butler  reentered  the  room  with  the  finger 
bowls,  and  she  quickly  disengaged  herself.  To  hide 
her  confusion,  she  turned  to  the  servant : 

16 


THE    MASK 


"Did  my  sister  go  out,  Robert?" 

"Yes,  m'm,"  replied  the  man  respectfully.  "Miss 
Ray  told  me  to  tell  you  in  case  you  asked  that 
she  had  gone  shopping  and  would  be  back  soon." 

"Where's  Miss  Dorothy?" 

"The  fraulein  took  her  to  the  park,  m'm." 

"When  fraulein  comes  in,  tell  her  to  bring  Doro- 
thy upstairs." 

"Very  well,  m'm." 

The  butler  went  out  and  Helen  turned  to  her 
husband.  Anxiously  she  said : 

"I've  been  a  little  worried  about  Dorothy  lately. 
She's  not  looking  well.  I  think  she  needs  the 
country." 

Kenneth  looked  up  quickly.  Next  to  his  wife 
he  loved  his  flaxen  haired  little  girl  better  than 
anything  in  the  world.  There  was  a  worried  look 
on  his  face  as  he  asked : 

"What  does  the  doctor  say?" 

"Oh,  it's  nothing  to  be  alarmed  at.  Only  she's 
growing  fast,  and  needs  all  the  air  possible.  I'm 
thinking  of  sending  her  to  Aunt  Carrie  for  a 
while.  You  know  she  has  a  beautiful  place  in  the 

17 


THE    MASK 


suburbs  of  Philadelphia.  She  would  be  out  in  the 
air  all  the  time." 

"Yes — that's  a  good  idea.  Send  her  there  by 
all  means.  Write  your  aunt  to-night." 

Helen  glanced  at  the  clock.  There  wasn't  any 
time  to  lose.  Turning  to  her  husband  she  said 
quickly : 

"You  had  better  come  upstairs  and  finish  your 
packing,  dear.  Your  trunks  aren't  nearly  ready 
and  the  expressman  was  ordered  for  three." 

Recalled  thus  abruptly  to  the  day's  duties,  he 
turned  docily  and  followed  her  upstairs. 

Beautiful  as  was  the  Traynor  home  below,  it  was 
in  the  library  in  the  second  floor  that  Helen  always 
felt  happiest  and  most  at  ease.  Up  the  broad, 
thickly  carpeted  stairs  and  turning  to  the  right  as 
the  landing  was  reached,  they  entered  the  library, 
a  room  of  truly  noble  proportions  extending  the 
entire  width  of  the  house  and  with  deep  recessed 
windows  and  low  seats,  overlooking  the  park.  The 
furnishings,  though  simple,  were  rich  and  luxur- 
ious. The  woodwork  was  of  black  Flemish  oak,  the 
ceiling  beamed  with  a  dull  red  background.  The 

18 


THE    MASK 


upholstery  was  a  rich  red  plush  throughout,  with 
deep  seated  armchairs,  and  sofas  built  close  to 
the  wall  wherever  space  permitted.  In  the  cor- 
ners, numerous  electric  reading  lamps  could  be 
turned  on  or  off  at  pleasure,  constituting  ideal 
nooks  for  reading.  The  furniture,  apart  from  the 
red  plush  armchairs,  was  of  black  Flemish  oak  to 
match  the  woodwork,  with  an  immense  richly 
carved  black  oak  dark  table  in  the  center  of  the 
room,  lighted  by  an  electrolier  of  similar  size  and 
design  to  the  one  in  the  dining-room. 

It  was  in  this  room  with  its  atmosphere  of  books 
so  conducive  to  peace  and  introspection  that  Helen 
loved  to  spend  her  spare  time.  The  walls  were 
literally  lined  with  tomes,  dealing  with  every  branch 
of  human  knowledge — religion,  science,  philosophy, 
literature.  Here  when  alone  she  enjoyed  many  an 
intellectual  treat,  browsing  among  the  world's  treas- 
ures of  the  mind.  Even  when  her  sister  had  a 
few  intimates  to  tea,  or  when  friends  dropped  in 
in  the  evening,  they  always  preferred  being  in  the 
library  to  anywhere  else. 

Only  second  to  the  library  in  the  affection  of  its 

19 


THE    MASK 


young  mistress  was  her  bed  chamber  with  which 
it  was  connected  by  a  small  boudoir.  Furnished  in 
Louis  XVI.  style,  it  was  a  beautiful  room,  decor- 
ated in  the  most  dainty  and  delicate  of  tones.  The 
bed,  copied  after  Marie  Antoinette's  couch  in  the 
Little  Trianon  was  in  sculptured  Circassian  walnut, 
upholstered  in  dull  pink  brocade,  the  broad  canopy 
overhead  being  upheld  by  two  flying  cupids.  The 
handsome  dressing  table  with  three  mirrors  and 
chairs  were  of  the  same  wood  and  period.  On  the 
floor  was  a  thick  carpet  especially  woven  to  match 
the  other  furnishings. 

To-day,  littered  as  it  was  with  trunks  and 
clothes,  the  room  lacked  its  usual  sedateness  and 
dignity,  but  Helen  did  not  mind.  She  would  have 
preferred  it  to  look  far  worse  if  only  her  loved 
one  were  not  going  away.  His  clothes  lay  scat- 
tered all  over  the  floor.  There  was  still  much  to 
be  done. 

Kenneth  himself  realized  it  as  he  ruefully  sur- 
veyed the  scene.  Hurry  he  must.  A  director's 
meeting  to-night,  the  steamer  sailing  to-morrow 
and  here  he  was  not  nearly  ready.  Helen  could 

20 


THE    MASK 


see  no  reason  why  Francois  should  not  do  the 
packing,  but  he  insisted  on  doing  it  himself,  and 
was  soon  deep  in  the  work  of  filling  the  trunks 
that  stood  around. 

While  he  worked,  almost  unconscious  of  her 
presence,  she  sat  disconsolately  on  a  trunk  and 
watched  him,  and  from  time  to  time,  as  if  ashamed 
to  let  him  see  her  weakness,  she  turned  her  head 
aside  to  furtively  wipe  away  a  tear.  No  doubt  her 
misgivings  were  foolish.  Husbands  left  their 
wives  on  business  trips  every  day.  Sensible  women 
were  not  so  silly  as  to  cry  over  it.  It  was  to  be 
only  temporary,  she  knew  that,  yet  her  heart  mis- 
gave her.  She  had  tried  to  be  resigned  to  this 
South  African  journey,  to  accept  it  without  pro- 
test, but  her  feelings  were  too  much  for  her.  When 
she  married  Kenneth  Traynor,  the  energetic,  pros- 
perous Wall  Street  promoter,  everybody  knew  that 
it  was  a  love  match.  Standing  six  feet  two  in  his 
stockings,  muscular,  sinewy,  without  an  ounce  of 
superfluous  fat,  Kenneth  Traynor  looked  as  though 
he  could  give  a  good  account  of  himself  no  matter 
in  what  tight  place  he  found  himself.  His  clean 

21 


THE    MASK 


cut  features  and  strong  chin  denoted  strength  of 
character,  his  deep  set  blue  eyes,  a  blue  of  a  shade 
so  light  rarely  seen  except  in  the  peasants  of  Nor- 
mandy, beamed  with  frankness  and  honesty,  a 
kindly  smile  hovered  about  his  smooth,  firm  mouth. 
•What  at  once  attracted  attention  was  his  hair 
which  was  dark  and  unusually  thick  and  bushy  and 
a  peculiar  characteristic  was  a  solitary  white  lock 
in  the  center  of  his  forehead.  Such  a  phenomenon 
of  the  capillary  glands  was  not  uncommon,  but  as 
a  rule,  the  white  hair  is  on  the  side  of  or  at  the 
back  of  the  head.  In  Kenneth's  case,  it  was  the 
very  center  of  the  forehead  and  imparted  to  his 
face  an  individuality  quite  its  own. 

When  on  leaving  college,  he  had  been  forced,  like 
other  young  men,  to  choose  a  career,  he  was  un- 
able to  decide  what  he  wanted  to  do.  Doctor,  law- 
yer, architect,  author — none  of  these  suited  his 
nervous,  restless  temperament.  He  craved  a  more 
exciting  life,  and  at  one  time  thought  seriously  of 
entering  the  army  with  the  hope  of  seeing  active 
service  in  the  Philippines.  But  Aguinaldo's  sur- 
render put  a  quietus  on  this  project,  and  he  en- 

22 


THE    MASK 


tered  a  broker's  office  in  Wall  Street.  Here,  in  the 
maelstrom  of  frenzied  finance,  his  pent  up  ener- 
gies found  an  outlet.  He  went  into  the  stock 
gambling  game  with  the  feverish  energy  of  a  born 
gambler.  Months  of  excitement  followed,  luck  be- 
ing usually  with  him.  He  was  successful.  He 
doubled  and  tripled  his  capital,  after  which  he  had 
good  sense  enough  to  stop,  withdrawing  from  the 
fray  before  the  tide  turned.  But  he  could  not  give 
up  the  life  entirely.  The  business  of  stock  promo- 
tion was  the  next  best  substitute.  It  was  about 
that  time  he  met  the  woman  he  married. 

It  had  been  an  ideal  union  in  every  way,  but 
even  Helen  herself  could  not  have  guessed  that 
day  now  three  years  ago  when  she  left  the  church 
a  bride,  how  completely,  how  entirely  this  man 
whose  sterling  qualities,  good  nature  and  charm  of 
manner  had  won  her  heart,  would  take  complete 
possession  of  her,  body  and  soul.  Instead  of  the 
romance  flickering  out  after  the  first  sudden  blaze 
of  fierce  passion,  as  it  usually  does  after  the  first 
few  months  of  married  life,  on  her  side,  at  least, 
the  flame  had  gathered  in  strength  until  now  it 

23 


THE    MASK 


was  the  one  compelling,  all  absorbing  interest  in 
her  life. 

She  recalled  how  they  had  first  met.  It  was  in 
the  Winter  time.  She  was  skating  in  Central  Park. 
A  thaw  had  set  in  and  the  ice  was  dangerous.  Sud- 
denly there  was  an  ominous  crack,  and  the  crowd 
scurried  out  of  harm's  way,  all  but  one  child,  a  little 
nine  year  old  girl  who,  in  her  eagerness  to  escape, 
stumbled  and  fell.  The  next  instant  she  was  in 
the  water,  disappearing  under  the  ice.  Just  at  that 
moment,  a  tall  athletic  figure  dashed  swiftly  to  the 
hole  and,  stooping  quickly,  caught  the  child  by  the 
dress.  Then,  by  a  feat  of  almost  superhuman 
strength  which  awed  the  crowd  into  silence,  he 
drew  the  little  victim  out  to  safety,  not  much  the 
worse  for  her  experience. 

Spellbound,  hardly  able  to  breathe  from  sheer 
excitement,  Helen  had  watched  the  work  of  rescue. 
When  the  stranger,  tall,  muscular,  handsome, 
passed  her,  carrying  tenderly  his  burden,  a  human 
life  saved  from  a  watery  grave,  she  could  not  help 
murmuring : 

"Oh,  how  brave  of  you!" 
24 


THE    MASK 


"Nonsense,"  he  retorted  abruptly.  "It's  nothing 
to  make  a  fuss  about." 

She  did  not  see  him  again  for  six  months,  and 
had  almost  forgotten  the  incident  when  one  night 
at  the  opera  during  a  performance  of  "Tann- 
hauser,"  a  man,  tall,  square  shouldered,  entered  the 
box  where  she  was  and  was  presented  to  her. 

"Helen— Mr.  Traynor." 

It  was  her  hero. 

He  had  remained  her  hero  ever  since. 

She  remembered  the  afternoon  when  he  had 
asked  her  to  be  his  wife.  They  were  alone  in  the 
library  which  overlooked  the  Park  with  its  beauti- 
ful vista  of  green  foliage,  its  glimpse  of  rolling 
lawns,  and  shimmering  lakes.  They  were  standing 
side  by  side,  gazing  idly  out  of  the  window,  con- 
versing quietly  on  all  kinds  of  topics  interesting 
to  them  both.  She  was  enjoying  his  vigorous,  mas- 
culine point  of  view  and  feeling  strangely  happy 
in  his  company. 

"When  should  a  man  marry?"  he  asked  all  at 
once. 

Startled  for  a  moment  at  the  abruptness  of  the 

25 


THE    MASK 


question  which  nothing  in  their  previous  conversa- 
tion had  led  up  to,  she  answered  gravely: 

"When  he's  tired  of  being  alone  and  when  he 
feels  he  has  met  the  woman  with  whom  he  can 
be  happy,  the  kind  of  woman  who  will  be  a  real 
helpmate  and  aid  him  to  achieve  his  ambitions." 

"How  can  he  know  that  the  woman  to  whom  he 
is  attracted  will  have  this  influence  in  his  life? 
How  can  he  distinguish  real  gold  from  the  imita- 
tion which  merely  glitters?" 

"Only  by  his  instinct.     That  never  errs." 

"And  when  in  your  opinion,  should  a  woman 
marry?" 

"When  she  meets  the  man  to  whom  she  feels 
she  can  give  herself  without  forfeiting  her  self- 
respect." 

He  nodded  approvingly,  and  looked  at  her  for 
a  few  moments  without  speaking.  Outside  it  was 
growing  dark,  for  which  she  was  glad,  for  her 
face  burned  under  the  earnestness  of  his  gaze. 
Finally  he  said: 

"You  are  right.  But  yours  is  a  point  of  view 
the  modem  girl  seldom  takes.  First  she  discusses 

26 


THE    MASK 


ways  and  means.  Love,  self  respect — these  she 
considers  quite  negligible." 

She  protested. 

"Not  all  girls — only  some  girls.  They  are  fool- 
ish virgins  who  leave  their  lamps  untrimmed. 
They  sow  folly  to-day  only  to  reap  unhappiness 
to-morrow." 

He  said  nothing  and  for  a  few  moments  they 
both  stood  there  in  the  increasing  darkness.  Sud- 
denly, without  a  moment's  warning,  his  voice 
broken  by  emotion,  he  turned  to  her  and  said: 

"I  am  tired  of  being  alone.  I  have  met  the 
woman  with  whom  I  could  be  happy,  the  woman 
who  can  help  me  to  do  big  things.  Helen,  I  want 
you  to  be  my  wife." 

She  made  no  answer.  She  felt  herself  growing 
pale.  A  strange  tremor  passed  through  her  entire 
body. 

He  came  closer  and  took  her  unresisting  hand. 

"Helen,"  he  whispered,  "I  want  you  for  my 
wife." 

Still  no  reply,  but  her  small  delicate  hand  re- 
mained clasped  in  his  big,  strong  one,  and  grad- 

27 


THE    MASK 


ually  he  drew  her  toward  him  until  she  was  so 
close  in  his  embrace  that  he  could  feel  her  panting 
breath  on  his  cheek. 

A  strange  thrill  passed  through  him  as  he  came 
in  contact  with  her  soft,  yielding  body.  She  never 
wore  corsets,  preferring  the  clinging  Grecian  style 
of  gowns  that  showed  graceful  lines  and  left  the 
figure  free,  and  her  form,  slender  yet  firm  and 
delicately  chiseled  like  that  of  some  sculptured 
goddess,  had  none  of  that  voluptuous  grossness 
which  mars  the  symmetry  of  many  women,  other- 
wise beautiful. 

As  she  nestled  there,  pale  and  trembling  in  his 
strong  arms,  he  did  not  dare  move,  for  fear  that 
he  might  unwittingly  injure  a  being  so  frail  and 
delicate.  All  his  life  Kenneth  had  lived  a  clean 
life.  He  had  not  led  the  riotous,  licentious  kind  of 
existence  which  some  men  of  his  means  and  op- 
portunities think  necessary  to  their  comfort.  He 
had  never  been  a  libertine.  He  had  respected 
women;  indeed,  had  rather  avoided  them. 

But  if  a  man,  busily  engaged  in  the  battle  of  life, 
his  mind  always  engrossed  in  serious  affairs,  suc- 

28 


THE    MASK 


ceeds  in  keeping  natural  instincts  under  control 
there  comes  a  day  when  nature  asserts  herself, 
when  his  manhood  demands  the  satisfaction  of  legi- 
timate cravings.  This  bachelor  who  had  lived 
a  secluded,  hermit-like  kind  of  existence  till  he 
was  thirty  was  suddenly  and  violently  awakened 
to  the  fact  that  he  was  made  of  flesh  and  blood 
as  are  other  men.  This  slim  girl  with  her  sweet 
ways,  her  pretty  face,  her  ready  wit,  had  com- 
pletely vanquished  him,  and  not  alone  did  she  sat- 
isfy him  mentally,  she  also  attracted  him  physically. 
He  realized  it  now  as  he  held  her  tight  against 
his  breast.  Her  head  had  fallen  on  his  shoulder. 
Her  face  with  its  pale,  delicate  profile  was  turned 
toward  him,  the  eyes  half  closed.  The  mouth, 
arched  like  Cupid's  bow  and  partly  open,  disclosing 
the  white,  moistened  teeth,  and  red  and  luscious  like 
some  rare  exotic  fruit,  was  tempting  enough  to 
madden  a  saint.  Kenneth  was  only  human.  Un- 
able to  resist,  he  lowered  his  head  until  his  mouth 
grazed  hers  and  then  with  a  wild,  almost  savage 
exclamation  of  joy,  the  exultant  cry  of  lust  awak- 
ened and  gratified,  his  lips  met  hers  and  lingered. 

29 


THE    MASK 


To  Helen  it  seemed  as  though  she  was  in  a  dream 
of  untold  ecstasy.  Always  a  shrinking,  modest  girl, 
especially  in  the  company  of  the  opposite  sex,  in 
any  calmer  moment  she  would  have  been  shocked 
beyond  expression  at  this  momentary  abandonment 
she  permitted  herself.  As  she  lay  in  this  man's 
arms  and  felt  his  warm  kisses  on  her  lips,  there 
came  over  her  a  strange  sensation  she  had  never 
known  before.  She  grew  dizzy  and  for  a  moment 
thought  she  would  faint.  All  at  once  he  released 
her.  Almost  apologetically,  he  murmured: 

"Forgive  me — I  lost  control  over  myself — I  want 
you  Helen — I  want  you  for  my  wife.  Will  you 
marry  me?" 

She  drew  away  and  turned  away  her  head,  so 
he  might  not  see  her  burning  cheeks. 

He  persisted. 

"Will   you  marry   me?" 

She  hesitated  a  moment  before  replying.  Then, 
very  simply,  she  answered : 

"Yes,  Kenneth." 

That  was  three  years  ago. 


CHAPTER   II 

IN  a  certain  set  Helen  Traynor  was  not  popular. 
Some  people  thought  her  old  fashioned,  strait- 
laced,  prudish.  They  resented  her  having  no 
taste  for  their  frivolous,  decadent  amusements. 
They  called  her  proud  and  condescending  whereas, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  she  merely  asked  to  be  let  alone. 
Of  course,  it  was  only  people  whose  opinions  were 
worthless  that  criticized  her.  All  who  were  ad- 
mitted to  her  intimacy  knew  that  there  was  no 
friend  more  loyal,  no  woman  more  womanly  and 
charming. 

In  one  respect  she  might  be  called  old  fashioned. 
Her  views  on  life  had  certainly  little  in  common 
with  those  held  by  most  present-day  women.  She 
had  no  taste  for  bridge,  she  refused  to  adopt  freak 
fashions  in  dress,  she  discouraged  the  looseness  of 
tone  in  speech  and  manner  so  much  affected  by 
other  women  of  her  acquaintance — in  a  word  she 
was  in  society  but  not  of  it.  Naturally,  she  had 

31 


THE    MASK 


more  acquaintances  than  friends,  yet  she  was  not 
unpopular  among  her  intimates.  While  secretly 
they  laughed  at  what  they  termed  her  puritanical 
notions,  they  were  shrewd  enough  to  realize  that 
they  could  hardly  afford  to  snub  a  woman  whose 
husband  occupied  so  prominent  a  position  in  the 
world  of  affairs.  Besides,  was  it  not  to  their  inter- 
est to  cultivate  her?  Who  gave  more  delightful 
dinners,  who  could  on  occasion  be  a  more  charming 
hostess?  An  accomplished  musician,  a  clever 
talker,  she  easily  dominated  in  whatever  salon  she 
happened  to  be,  and  the  men  were  always  found 
crowding  eagerly  around  her. 

Like  most  women  of  her  temperament,  sure  of 
themselves  and  in  whose  mind  never  enters  even 
a  thought  of  disloyalty  to  her  marriage  vows,  she 
made  no  concealment  of  her  preference  for  the 
masculine  sex.  With  those  men  who  were  at- 
tracted by  her  unusual  mentality, — she  was  gra- 
cious, and  affable,  discussing  with  politicians,  jur- 
ists, financiers,  economic  and  sociological  questions 
with  a  brilliancy  and  insight  that  fairly  astonished 
them.  With  literary  men  and  musicians,  she  chat- 

32 


run  MASK 


ted  intelligently  of  the  latest  novels  and  pictures  and 
operas  with  the  facility  and  expertness  of  a  connois- 
seur. Other  men,  drawn  by  her  exceptional  beauty, 
fascinated  by  the  spell  of  her  soulful  eyes,  her  tall 
graceful  figure,  and  delicate  classic  face,  framed  in 
Grecian  head  dress,  made  violent  love  to  her,  their 
heated  imaginations  and  jaded  senses  conceiving  a 
conquest  compared  with  which  the  criminal  passion 
of  Paolo  for  Francesca  should  pale.  These  would- 
be  Lotharios  might  as  well  have  tried  to  set  an 
iceberg  on  fire.  Quietly,  but  firmly  and  in  un- 
mistakable terms,  she  let  them  understand  that  they 
were  wasting  their  time  and  their  ardor  thus 
quenched,  one  by  one  they  dropped  away  and  left 
her  in  peace.  Only  Signer  Keralio  had  persisted. 
She  had  snubbed  him,  insulted  him,  time  after 
time,  yet  wherever  she  turned  she  found  him  at 
her  elbow.  Society  soon  resigned  itself  to  con- 
sidering her  as  one  apart — a  beautiful,  chaste  Juno 
whose  ideals  all  must  respect.  Indeed,  the  only 
thing  with  which  she  could  be  reproached  was  that 
she  was  in  love  with  her  husband — the  unpardon- 
able sin  in  society's  eyes — but  seeing  who  it  was 

33 


THE    MASK 


and  despairing  of  ever  changing  her  point  of  view, 
society  forgave  her. 

It  never  occurred  to  Helen  that  she  was  differ- 
ent in  any  way  from  other  women.  She  did  not 
see  how  it  was  possible  for  a  woman  to  be  untrue 
to  the  man  whose  name  she  bore  and  still  retain 
her  self-respect.  The  day  she  ceased  to  love  her 
husband  she  would  leave  him  forever.  To  her  way 
of  thinking,  it  was  shocking  to  go  on  living  with 
a  man  merely  because  it  suited  one's  convenience 
and  comfort.  She  knew  married  women  who  did 
not  care  for  their  husbands,  some  actually  detested 
the  men  they  had  married,  and  had  always  held  in 
horror  the  intimate  relation  which  marriage  sanc- 
tioned. She  felt  sorry  for  such  women,  but  se- 
cretly she  despised  them.  They  alone  were  to 
blame.  Had  they  not  married  knowing  well  that 
there  was  no  real  affection  in  their  hearts  for  the 
men  to  whom  they  gave  themselves  ?  The  cynicism 
and  effrontery  of  young  girls  regarding  marriage 
particularly  revolted  her.  Eager  for  wealth  and 
social  position,  they  offered  themselves  with  brazen 
effrontery  in  the  matrimonial  market,  immodestly 

34 


THE    MASK 


displaying  their  charms  to  the  lecherous,  covetous 
eyes  of  blase,  degenerate  men.  Any  question  of 
attachment,  love,  affection  was  never  for  a  moment 
considered.  The  idea  that  a  man  could  be  even 
considered  unless  he  were  able  to  provide  a  fine 
establishment  was  laughed  to  scorn.  The  girls 
were  all  men  hunters  but  they  hunted  only  rich 
men.  They  called  the  feeling  they  experienced 
for  the  man  they  caught  in  their  toils  "love."  They 
meant  something  quite  different.  To  a  girl  of 
Helen's  ideas,  such  manoeuvers  were  shocking.  To 
her  the  marriage  tie  was  something  sacred,  a  rela- 
tion not  to  be  entered  into  lightly.  Kenneth  was 
rich,  it  was  true,  but  she  would  have  loved  him 
none  the  less  had  he  been  one  of  his  own  fifteen 
dollar  a  week  clerks.  When  they  were  married 
and  the  romance  was  over,  he  stopped  playing  the 
lover  to  devote  himself  to  the  more  serious  business 
of  making  money,  but  with  her,  time,  instead  of 
dimming  the  flame,  only  caused  it  to  burn  the 
brighter.  This  man  whom  she  had  married  was 
her  only  thought.  In  him  centered  every  interest 
of  her  life. 

35 


THE    MASK 


A  muffled  outburst  of  profanity  from  Kenneth 
aroused  her  from  her  reveries. 

"That's  always  the  way  when  one's  in  a  hurry," 
he  exclaimed  petulantly.  "Ring  for  Francois. 
Why  the  devil  isn't  he  here?" 

Quickly,  Helen  sprang  up  from  the  trunk  and 
touched  an  electric  button. 

"What's  the  matter,  dear?"  she  asked. 

She  approached  her  husband  who,  at  the  far 
end  of  the  room,  was  red  in  the  face  from  the 
unusual  exertion  of  trying  to  coax  the  buckle  of 
a  strap  into  a  hole  obviously  out  of  reach.  He 
pulled  and  strained  till  the  muscles  stood  out  on 
his  neck  and  brawny  arms  like  whipcord,  and 
still  the  obstinate  buckle  declined  to  be  coerced. 
The  more  it  resisted,  the  more  determined  he  was 
to  make  it  obey.  Go  in  it  must,  if  sheer  strength 
would  do  it.  The  vice-president  of  the  Americo- 
African  Mining  Company  was  no  weakling.  A  six- 
foot  athlete  and  captain  of  the  Varsity  football 
team  in  his  college  days,  his  muscles  had  been 
toughened  in  a  thousand  lively  scrimmages  and  in 
later  life  plenty  of  golf,  rowing  and  other  out-of- 

36 


THE    MASK 


door  sports  had  kept  him  in  condition.  When  he 
pulled  hard  something  had  to  give  way.  It  did 
in  this  instance.  There  was  a  tearing,  rending 
sound  and  the  strap  broke  off  short.  With  a  ges- 
ture of  despair  he  turned  to  his  wife  as  men  are 
wont  to  do  when  in  trouble. 

"Wouldn't  that  jar  you?"  he  cried,  as  he  threw 
the  broken  strap  away.  "What  the  deuce  am  I 
going  to  do  now?" 

"Why  don't  you  let  Francois  attend  to  such 
things?"  answered  his  wife  calmly.  "He  under- 
stands packing  so  much  better  than  you.  You're 
so  strong,  you  break  everything." 

She  looked  fondly  at  her  husband's  tall,  athletic 
figure.  He  turned  to  her  with  a  smile. 

"I  guess  you're  right,"  he  said.  "But  where  the 
devil  is  Francois?" 

"I  don't  know.  I  sent  him  downstairs  to  tell 
the  cook  to  have  some  nice  sandwiches  ready  when 
you  come  home  after  the  director's  meeting  to- 
night, but  that's  an  hour  ago " 

His  ill  humor  gone,  Kenneth  looked  up  and 
37 


THE    MASK 


smiled  at  her.  Putting  his  arm  about  her,  fondly 
he  said: 

"Dear  little  wife.  You're  always  thinking  of 
the  comfort  of  others.  You're  the  most  unselfish, 
the  most  adorable,  the  most " 

"Stop,  Kenneth,  don't  be  foolish  or  I  shall  be- 
lieve you " 

His  face  red  from  his  recent  exertions,  he  sat 
down  on  the  arm  of  a  chair  to  rest  a  little.  Full 
of  the  coming  journey,  he  had  already  forgotten 
his  wife's  anxiety.  The  great  business  schemes  he 
had  in  mind  dwarfed  for  the  time  being  every  other 
consideration.  He  could  think  and  talk  of  nothing 
but  diamonds.  Huge  crystals,  worth  untold  mil- 
lions as  big  as  a  fist,  flashed  at  him  from  every 
corner  of  ^the  room.  Fabulous  fortunes  had  been 
made  in  the  diamond  mines  of  South  Africa.  Why 
should  he  not  be  as  successful  as  others?  The 
romance  of  the  Cullinan  might  be  repeated,  even 
surpassed.  Well  he  recalled  how  he  had  been 
thrilled  by  the  sensational  story  of  the  discovery 
of  that  colossal  gem,  more  than  three  times  the 
size  of  the  Excelsior,  the  wonder  of  the  modern 

38 


THH    MASK 


world.  In  imagination,  he  saw  it  now.  An  old- 
fashioned  Boer  farm,  transformed  into  a  modern 
mining  camp.  A  moonlight  night.  A  man  strolling 
idly  along  the  rugged,  desolate  veldt,  chances  to 
look  down.  His  eye  suddenly  catches  a  gleam 
in  the  rough  face  of  the  jagged  slope.  He  stoops 
and  picks  up  what  looks  like  a  piece  of  ice.  Quickly 
he  returns  to  his  office  and  hands  it  to  his  chief. 
The  men  look  at  each  other  in  silence.  To  all 
parts  of  the  world  goes  the  message  that  a  dia- 
mond has  been  found  four  times  bigger  than  the 
largest  gem  in  the  world.  A  stone  weighing  over 
3,000  carats  and  worth  four  million  dollars.  He 
could  already  imagine  himself  far  from  civiliza- 
tion among  the  barren  mountains  of  South  Africa, 
prospecting  in  wide  stretches  of  stone  and  gravel, 
picking  up  the  brilliant  dazzling  stones  by  the 
handful. 

"Have  you  any  idea,"  he  said,  "what  the  mines 
have  produced?" 

She  shook  her  head  indifferently. 

"No,  and  I  don't  want  to  know.     I  don't  want 
you  to  go — that's  all." 

39 


THE    MASK 


"Their  output  in  the  last  ten  years  is  estimated 
at  no  less  than  $400,000,000.  Just  think  of  it. 
Four  hundred  millions!  Well,  dear,  I  and  a  few 
others  want  some  of  it,  and  we're  going  to  get  it." 

"But  aren't  we  rich  enough  already?"  She  de- 
manded petulantly.  "Why  this  fever  to  get  richer 
and  richer?  We  are  happy  with  what  we  have. 
Why  run  the  risks  to  gain  what  after  all  will  only 
be  a  surplus?  We  can't  possibly  spend  it." 

Her  husband's  eyes  flashed.  The  lines  about  his 
mouth  tightened  as  he  retorted: 

"One  never  has  enough !  You  women  don't  un- 
derstand. As  long  as  you  have  all  the  amusement 
you  crave,  all  the  frocks  you  want,  all  the  jewelry 
you  covet,  you  think  that  is  all  there  is  to  life." 

She  looked  up  at  him  reproachfully  and  seemed 
about  to  protest  when  he  added  hurriedly: 

"Oh,  I  don't  mean  you.  I  know  you  are  not  that 
kind  of  woman.  You  are  more  serious,  more  sensi- 
ble. I  mean  the  average  society  woman  whose  only 
concern  in  life  is  dress  and  show.  We  men  have 
different  aims,  higher  ambitions.  I'm  well  to  do,  as 
the  term  goes.  I  have  an  income  of  over  $100,000 

40 


THH    MASK 


a  year,  a  splendidly  appointed  town  house,  a  show 
place  in  the  country.  Above  all  I  have  the  most 
adorable  wife  in  all  the  world.  Most  men  would 
be  satisfied.  I  am  not.  I  want  still  more.  I  have 
the  money  craze,  an  uncontrollable  lust  to  pile  up 
millions.  My  ambition  is  to  wield  the  power  that 
only  the  possession  of  vast  wealth  confers.  The 
resources  of  this  vast  country  are  practically  in  the 
hands  of  half  a  dozen  men.  Merely  by  holding  up 
a  finger,  these  men  could,  to  suit  their  own  selfish 
ends,  start  a  universal  panic  which  might  bring 
about  a  financial  cataclysm,  involving  the  whole 
world  in  disaster.  I  do  not  say  they  would  use 
this  power  for  evil,  but  they  are  in  position  to  do 
so  if  it  served  their  purpose.  I  want  to  have  such 
power,  only  if  I  had  it  I  would  not  use  it  for  evil. 
I  would  use  it  for  good.  Conditions  in  the  industrial 
world  are  very  critical.  We  are  rapidly  approaching 
a  crisis.  In  all  countries  the  forces  of  labor  and  the 
forces  of  capital  are  lined  up  in  silent,  grim  bat- 
talions. The  poor  are  getting  poorer;  the  rich  are 
getting  richer.  The  cost  of  living  is  going  up  be- 
yond all  reason.  Why?  Because  the  men  who 


THE    MASK 


control  the  wealth  of  the  world  will  it  so.  The 
system  which  is  responsible  for  this  must  one  day, 
sooner  or  later,  give  way  to  another  and  more 
humane  system,  still  to  be  devised,  which  will  en- 
able the  man  who  produces  the  wealth  of  the 
world  at  least  to  enjoy  some  of  the  fruits  of  his 
toil.  Now  it  goes  into  the  hands  of  the  privileged 
few  who  use  the  power  their  money  gives  them 
to  keep  their  less  fortunate  fellow  men  in  servile 
subjection.  I  want  to  be  rich,  very  rich,  but  I 
will  use  my  wealth  for  good.  With  it  I  will  help 
my  fellow  man  rise  from  the  mire.  I  will  help 
him  throw  off  the  shackles  with  which  conscience- 
less capitalism  has  fettered  him.  I  want  to  be  such 

a  power  for  good.     I  want " 

The  maid  reentered  the  room. 
"Frangois  is  not  in  his  room,  m'm." 
Kenneth  gave  vent  to  an  exclamation  of  impa- 
tience.    Turning  to  his  wife,  he  asked: 

"Where  is  he?    Did  you  send  him  anywhere?" 
Helen  shook  her  head.     Quickly  she  said: 
"He's    never    around    except    when    he's    not 
wanted." 

42 


THE    MASK 


It  was  so  seldom  that  his  wife  displayed  irrita- 
tion at  any  one  that  Kenneth  looked  up  in  sur- 
prise. 

"He's  shopping,  too,  I  suppose.  You  know 
there's  little  time  left  and  he  has  things  to  get 
ready  the  same  as  I  have." 

Helen  made  a  gesture  of  disapproval.  Quickly 
she  said : 

"I  wish  you  were  going  with  someone  else,  with 
anyone  but  that  man.  I  never  liked  him." 

Her  husband  laughed.    Carelessly  he  replied : 

"I  know  you  never  did  and  it's  the  only  instance 
since  we're  married  where  I've  found  dear  little 
wife  to  be  absolutely  unfair.  Seriously,  sweet- 
heart, your  baseless  prejudice  against  Francois  is 
unworthy  of  you.  I  can't  go  without  a  servant  of 
some  kind.  He's  an  honest  fellow  and  a  faithful 
servant." 

Helen  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"I'm  not  so  sure  about  that,"  she  retorted  quick- 
ly. "What  do  you  know  about  him  or  his  honesty  ? 
He's  a  perfect  stranger  that  blew  in  three  months 
ago  from  nowhere.  He  had  written  recommenda- 

43 


THE    MASK 


tions  which  may  be  forged.  You  never  took  the 
trouble  to  look  them  up." 

"Yes,  I  did.    I  asked  Keralio  about  him." 

Helen  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"Signor  Keralio?  I  didn't  know  Francois  was 
ever  with  him." 

"He  was  with  him  nearly  a  year.^.  Keralio 
warmly  recommends  him  and  says'  he  is  a  very 
faithful  fellow.  He  only  left  him  because  he 
objected  to  being  compelled  to  practise  sword- 
play  with  his  master.  One  day  Keralio's  foil 
slipped.  Frangois  got  a  puncture  and  it  made  him 
nervous." 

"No  wonder  I  don't  like  him. "  Like  master,T  like 
valet — as  the  French  say." 

Her  husband  smiled. 

"You  are  down  on  Keralio,  aren't  you?" 

"I  detest  him.  How  could  any  self-respecting 
woman  like  such  a  man?  His  every  glance  is  an 
insult.  With  his  polished  manners  and  sardonic 
smile  he  reminds  one  of  Mephistopheles." 

"I  don't  fancy  the  fellow  much  myself,  but  I 
have  to  be  polite  to  him.  As  I  told  you,  he's  in 

34 


THE    MASK 


with  the  people  who  own  that  silver  mine.  I've 
found  him  useful." 

"Don't  trust  him,"  replied  Helen  warningly.  "If 
he  makes  himself  useful  to  you,  depend  upon  it, 
he  has  some  ulterior  motive  in  view.  Now  I  know 
Frangois  was  once  with  him  I  shall  dislike  him 
more  than  ever." 

"Come — come  dear,"  protested  Kenneth,  "that  is 
carrying  things  too  far.  Frangois  is  quite  a  decent 
chap  if  you  understand  him — I  find  him  faithful, 
discreet." 

"Discreet!"  echoed  Helen  mockingly.  "I  beg 
to  differ." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  that  you  are  blinded  in  the  man.  Dis- 
creet indeed!  Only  the  other  day  I  caught  him 
at  your  desk  reading  a  letter  which  you  had  left 
there." 

"A  letter?"  exclaimed  Kenneth,  looking  up  in 
surprise.  "What  letter?" 

"The  letter  from  your  agent  at  Cape  Town,  tell- 
ing of  the  astonishing  diamond  find,  and  suggest- 
ing that  an  officer  of  the  Company  be  sent  out  to 

45 


THE    MASK 


bring  home  the  big  stone — the  letter  you  read  at 
the  director's  meeting  and  which  decided  them  to 
send  you  out  there." 

Kenneth  bit  his  lip.     Quickly  he  said: 

"I'm  sorry  he  saw  that.  It  was  careless  of  me 
to  leave  it  around.  Are  you  sure  he  was  reading 
it?" 

"He  had  a  pencil  and  paper  in  hand  and  ap- 
peared to  be  copying  from  the  letter.  When  he 
saw  me,  he  crushed  the  paper  up  in  his  hand  and 
turned  away." 

Kenneth  gave  an  expressive  whistle. 

"The  deuce  you  say !  The  fellow's  smarter  than 
I  took  him  to  be.  All  the  more  reason  why  I 
should  take  him  along  with  me.  Then  I'm  sure  he 

can't  tell  tales  out  of  school.  I .  Hush,  here 

he  is!" 

The  door  opened  cautiously  and  there  entered 
a  man  about  thirty  years  of  age,  of  medium  height 
and  slightly,  even  delicately,  built.  That  he  was 
a  Frenchman  was  apparent  even  at  a  glance.  The 
dark  closely  cropped  hair,  worn  in  the  so-called 
pompadour  or  military  style,  the  pale,  saturnine 

46 


THE    MASK 


features,  the  manner  and  general  bearing  all  loudly 
proclaimed  his  Gallic  nationality.  His  smooth 
shaven  face  showed  a  firm  mouth  with  bloodless 
lips  so  thin  as  to  be  hardly  perceptible.  His  eyes, 
when  they  could  be  seen  at  all,  were  greenish  in 
color,  and  small  and  restless  as  those  of  a  ferret. 
He  advanced  into  the  room  with  the  obsequious 
deferential  manner  which  in  all  well-trained  ser- 
vants becomes  second  nature,  moving  across  the 
thickly  carpeted  floor  with  the  rapidity  and  noise- 
lessness  of  a  snake. 

"Where  have  you  been,  Francois?"  demanded 
Kenneth  sharply. 

The  valet  stopped  short,  as  if  struck  by  a  blow, 
but  he  did  not  stand  still.  His  nervous  thin  hands 
and  lean  body  were  in  constant  motion,  although 
he  did  not  stir  from  the  one  spot.  In  every  in- 
voluntary movement  and  gesture  there  was  some- 
thing that  suggested  the  feline.  When  spoken  to  or 
given  an  order  he  replied  respectfully  and  obeyed 
with  alacrity,  but  when  addressed  he  listened  al- 
ways with  eyes  averted.  This  had  always  exas- 
perated Helen.  She  could  not  recall  him  ever  look- 

47 


THE    MASK 


ing  her  straight  in  the  face.  For  that  reason  alone, 
if  for  no  other,  she  disliked  and  distrusted  him, 
thinking  not  unnaturally  that  a  man,  who  is  afraid 
to  let  his  eyes  meet  another's,  must  be  plotting  in 
his  mind  some  treachery  which  he  fears  his  di- 
rect gaze  may  betray.  His  furtive  glances  went 
quickly  from  master  to  mistress.  Something  in 
their  attitude,  the  suddenness  with  which  they  in- 
terrupted their  conversation  told  him  that  they  had 
been  talking  about  him. 

"Did  you  hear  me?"  demanded  Kenneth  again. 
"Where  have  you  been?  You  knew  there  was 
this  packing  to  be  done." 

The  man's  eyes  flashed  resentfully,  but  he  re- 
plied civilly: 

"Oui,  monsieur,  but  monsieur  forgets.  Monsieur 
told  me  I  must  go  to  ze  tailor." 

Kenneth's  frown  disappeared.  Yes,  it  was  true. 
He  had  sent  him  to  the  tailor.  Quick  to  make 
amends  for  an  injustice,  he  said  more  amiably: 

"That's  right.  I  had  forgotten.  What  did  they 
say?" 

"Ze  suits  will  be  delivered  in  half  hour." 
48 


THB    MASK 


"Very  well.  When  they  come,  you  will  know 
which  trunk  to  put  them  in." 

"Oui,  monsieur." 

"And  then,  when  my  trunks  are  ready  you  had 
better  hustle  with  your  own  packing.  There's  no 
time  to  be  lost.  The  steamer  sails  at  II  o'clock 
to-morrow  morning." 

"Oui,  monsieur." 

Quietly,  stealthily,  the  valet  retraced  his  cat-like 
steps  and  opening  the  door  retired  as  noiselessly 
as  he  had  come. 


49 


CHAPTER  III 

WHEN  the  valet  had  disappeared,  Kenneth 
turned  to  his  wife  with  a  chuckle. 

"Who   was   right?     You   made   me 
scold  him  for  nothing." 

Helen  shook  her  head. 

"I  detest  the  man.  There  is  something  crawly 
and  repulsive  about  him.  I  can  read  evil  in  his 
face.  Don't  trust  him,  Kenneth.  Remember,  if 
anything  goes  wrong,  don't  blame  me.  I  warned 
you.  My  instinct  seldom  fails." 

Her  husband  laughed  and,  advancing,  put  his 
arm  tenderly  around  his  wife. 

"I  guess  I'm  able  to  take  care  of  myself,  dear. 
Don't  let's  discuss  Frangois  any  longer.  Tell  me 
about  yourself.  How  are  you  going  to  amuse  your- 
self while  I'm  away?" 

Her  head  drooped  on  his  breast  and  once  more 
her  eyes  filled  with  tears.  With  affected  careless- 
ness which  cost  her  a  great  effort,  she  replied: 

50 


THE    MASK 


"Oh,  the  time  won't  hang  so  heavy  on  my  hands. 
It  never  does  when  one  has  resources  within  one- 
self. I'll  read  and  ride  and  sew.  I  suppose  I'll 
have  plenty  to  do." 

"Mr.  Parker  said  he  would  drop  in  and  look 
after  you." 

"Yes — tell  him  to  come  and  see  me  very  often. 
He's  rather  tiresome  with  his  prosy  talk,  but  he's 
a  dear  old  soul." 

With  a  mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eye  her  hus- 
band went  on: 

"It's  not  unlikely  that  Keralio  will  call,  also." 

"I  hope  not,"  she  said  quickly.  "I'll  soon  show 
him  he's  not  wanted." 

Kenneth  laughed.  It  amused  him  to  see  how 
set  she  was  against  the  Italian.  He  did  not  know 
the  man  any  too  well.  He  had  met  him  in  a  busi- 
ness way  and  the  fellow  had  been  of  service,  but 
he  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of  making  a  friend 
of  him.  He  rather  suspected  he  was  an  adven- 
turer although,  a  stranger  in  New  York,  no  one 
knew  anything  against  him.  Protestingly  he 
said: 

Si 


THE    MASK 


"It's  hardly  fair  to  attack  a  man  because  he 
admires  you." 

"He  shows  his  admiration  in  a  most  offensive 
way.  If  you  could  see  the  way  he  looks  at  me 
sometimes  you'd  be  the  first  to  resent  it" 

Kenneth  laughed. 

"Oh,  you  mustn't  mind  that.  It's  a  way  all 
foreigners  have.  They  ogle  women  more  from 
force  of  habit  than  any  desire  to  effect  a  conquest. 
Besides,  you  won't  be  alone." 

"No,  I  shall  have  Ray.  She  is  excellent  com- 
pany— far  jollier  than  I " 

Kenneth  protested. 

"No,  she  isn't  by  a  long  shot.  Ray  is  all  right 
as  sisters-in-law  go,  but  I'd  never  change  you  for 
her.  I'm  d d  if  I  would!" 

Quickly  Helen  put  her  white  hand  over  his 
mouth.  With  mock  severity  she  exclaimed: 

"Kenneth!  How  can  you  be  so  profane?  I 
hate  to  hear  such  language  from  you.  Ray  is  the 
sweetest  thing  on  earth.  It's  a  shame  she  never 
got  married.  Oh,  don't  be  uneasy  on  that  score. 
We'll  have  a  good  time.  We'll  go  to  the  theater. 

52 


THE    MASK 


We'll  have  teas  and  little  dinner  parties.  I'll  in- 
vite some  interesting  men  to  meet  her.  I'd  love  to 
see  her  married  to  some  nice  man.  There's  Mr. 
Steell,  for  instance.  He's  rich,  young,  has  a  bril- 
liant future " 

Kenneth  made  a  grimace.    Quickly  he  retorted : 

"It's  you  he  admires,  not  Ray.  He  will  accept 
your  invitation — less  with  the  idea  of  letting  Ray 
hook  him  in  the  matrimonial  net,  than  for  the 
opportunity  it  affords  for  a  renewed  flirtation  with 
you.  Oh,  quite  innocent,  of  course,  but  still  a 
flirtation.  Have  I  forgotten  what  close  friends 
you  used  to  be  before  I  appeared  on  the  scene?" 

"And  carried  me  off,  a  new  Lochinvar  come  out 
of  the  West!"  she  laughed.  "Oh,  Kenneth,  how 
can  you  be  so  foolish?  It  is  absolutely  indecent 
of  you.  I  like  Mr.  Steell,  and  I  think  he  likes  me, 
but  our  friendship  is  purely  platonic.  I  never 
give  him  a  thought,  I  assure  you." 

"I  know  you  don't,  but  I'm  not  so  sure  about 
him.  He's  a  man  and  men  are  only  human " 

"He's  a  gentleman,"  corrected  Helen.  "He  never 
forgets  that." 

53 


run  MASK 


Kenneth  gave  a  grunt  of  incredulity.  Sulkily 
he  said: 

"All  right — all  right.  Have  a  good  time.  Marry 
him  to  Ray.  Perhaps  it's  safer  that  way.  When 
he's  my  brother-in-law,  he'll  stop  making  sheep's 
eyes  at  my  wife." 

Helen  laughed  outright. 

"You  silly  goose.  I  never  suspected  you  of  hav- 
ing a  jealous  streak  in  your  nature.  How  could 
I  prefer  anyone  to  my  handsome  Kenneth?" 

As  she  stood  before  him,  playfully  patting  his 
cheek,  her  glance  alighted  on  the  solitary  lock  of 
gray  hair  in  the  center  of  his  forehead.  Toying 
with  it,  she  went  on: 

"Isn't  it  strange  that  your  hair  should  be  white 
just  in  that  place.  I  rather  like  it.  It  gives  an 
added  note  of  distinction  to  your  face.  I  wonder 
what  caused  it." 

Kenneth  laughed. 

"That's  my  trade  mark.  If  ever  I'm  brought 
home  on  a  stretcher  you'll  know  me  by  that  white 
lock." 

Helen  raised  her  hand  in  protest. 
54 


THE    MASK 


"Don't  talk  that  way.  Never  jest  about  acci- 
dents. Sometimes  they  happen." 

"Well — I  said  nothing.  I  only  said  that  if  you 
were  ever  in  doubt  about  my  identity,  you  would 
know  me  by  my  white  lock." 

She  smiled,  as  she  patted  his  cheek  lovingly, 
and  said: 

"That  would  not  be  necessary,  Ken  dear.  No 
matter  how  changed  you  looked,  what  disguise  you 
wore,  I  should  still  know  you." 

"And  if  it  wasn't  me,"  he  laughed,  "but  only 
someone  who  looked  like  me?" 

"I  could  never  be  mistaken.  The  ring  in  the 
voice,  the  expression  in  the  eyes — no  woman  who 
really  loves  could  ever  be  deceived." 

She  had  drawn  nearer  to  him,  her  mouth  up- 
turned and  tempting,  her  face  with  that  gentle, 
wistful  expression  he  was  never  able  to  resist. 
Throwing  his  arms  impulsively  about  her,  he 
clasped  her  passionately  to  his  breast. 

"Sweetheart,"  he  whispered,  "you  don't  know 
how  dear  you  are  to  me!" 

"Nor  can  you,"  she  replied,  as  he  smothered 

55 


THE    MASK 


her  with  kisses,  "ever  realize  what  you  are  to  me!" 

Suddenly  they  were  interrupted  by  a  sound  at 
the  door  behind  them.  Some  one  coughed  discreetly. 
Quickly  separating,  Helen  turned  round.  In  some 
confusion  she  exclaimed: 

"Hello,  Ray.  I  thought  you  were  out.  When 
did  you  come  in?" 

"I  was  out.  I  have  been  shopping.  I  met  Mr. 
Steell  in  the  park  and  we  had  a  lovely  walk." 
Slyly  she  added :  "  I  am  afraid  I  returned  too 
soon.  I  see  you're  both  busy." 

"Never  too  busy  for  you,  Ray,"  smiled  Helen 
trying  to  hide  her  confusion,  while  Kenneth  grinned 
broadly. 

The  young  girl  laughed  as  she  flung  down  on 
the  sofa  her  muff  and  fur  neck-piece.  Roguishly 
she  said: 

"Lovemaking  so  early  in  the  day.  Aren't  you 
ashamed  of  yourselves?" 

Kenneth  liked  to  tease  his  sister-in-law,  but  the 
young  girl  was  quite  his  equal  when  it  came  to 
a  battle  of  wits  and  it  was  not  often  that  she  gave 
him  the  opportunity. 

56 


THE    MASK 


"What  time  do  you  do  your  love  making?"  he 
demanded. 

Her  cheeks  reddened  a  little  as  she  retorted: 

"I'm  never  so  foolish.  I  leave  that  to  you  mar- 
ried people.  My  purpose  in  life  is  far  more 
serious." 

"Oh,  come  now,"  protested  her  brother-in-law, 
"I've  noticed  you  and  Steell  spooning  often 
enough." 

Stylishly  and  tastefully  dressed,  her  face  beam- 
ing with  animation,  her  eyes  sparkling  with  intel- 
ligence, Kenneth's  sister-in-law  was  a  pretty,  whole- 
some looking  girl.  She  had  beautiful  blond  hair 
like  her  sister,  and  fine,  white  teeth  that  told  of 
good  health  and  perfect  digestion.  Helen's  junior 
only  by  three  years,  she  was  still  unmarried  and 
for  the  present  at  least  seemed  more  inclined  to 
remain  single  and  partake  of  life's  pleasures  than 
incur  the  risks  and  responsibilities  of  matrimony. 
Not  that  she  had  been  without  offers.  A  girl  as 
attractive  and  clever  could  hardly  have  failed  to 
please  the  sterner  sex.  All  sorts  and  conditions  of 
men  had  prostrated  themselves  at  her  tiny,  well- 

57 


THE    MASK 


shod  feet,  but,  capricious  and  headstrong,  she 
would  have  none  of  them.  She  was  what  might 
be  called  a  singular  girl.  She  liked  men,  not  be- 
cause of  their  sex,  but  because  their  point  of  view 
was  different,  their  grasp  of  things  stronger  than 
her  own.  One  day  she  must  marry.  She  knew 
that.  It  was,  she  insisted  laughingly,  an  ignoble 
state  of  slavery,  a  humiliating,  degrading  condition 
of  subjection  to  the  male  which  every  woman 
must  endure,  necessary  perhaps,  but  an  ordeal  to  be 
put  off,  something  unpleasant  to  be  postponed  as 
long  as  possible,  like  the  taking  of  a  dose  of  un- 
savory physic  or  having  a  tooth  pulled  at  the  den- 
tist's. Meantime,  heart  whole  and  fancy  free,  she 
enjoyed  life  to  the  limit  and  kept  her  admirers 
guessing. 

"Oh,  I  saw  such  lovely  things  in  the  stores,"  ex- 
claimed the  young  girl.  "I  wish  I  had  the  money 
to  buy  them  all." 

"You  will  have  when  I  get  back  from  South 
Africa,"  he  laughed. 

"Don't  forget,"  she  laughed.  "I'll  hold  you  to 
that  promise.  Helen  is  witness." 

58 


THE    MASK 


"I  swear  it!"  he  said  with  mock  solemnity.  "You 
shall  have  carte  blanche  in  any  Fifth  Avenue  shop 
to  the  amount  of — $1.75." 

"Will  you  be  ready  in  time?"  she  laughed,  look- 
ing around  with  dismay  at  the  litter  of  open  trunks. 

"I  won't,  if  you  stay  here  chattering  like  a 
magpie." 

"What  time  does  the  steamer  sail?" 

"Eleven   o'clock,"   said   Helen. 

"We're  all  coming  to  see  you  off.  Mr.  Steell 
told  me  that  he's  coming,  too." 

"Not  exactly  to  see  me,  I'm  afraid,"  smiled 
Kenneth. 

"Who  else?"  she  retorted.  "If  you  mean  me, 
you're  mistaken.  He  doesn't  need  to  make  the 
uncomfortable  trip  to  Hoboken  to  see  me." 

Her  brother-in-law  smiled,  amused  at  her 
petulance. 

"My  dear,"  he  said,  "you  don't  know  what  hard- 
ships a  man  will  endure  for  the  girl  he's  sweet  on." 
With  mock  seriousness  he  went  on:  "Say  sis, 
Helen  and  I  have  been  having  an  argument.  Who 
does  Steell  come  here  for — for  you  or  for  me?" 

59 


THE    MASK 


Ray  burst  into  merry  laughter. 

"How  silly  you  are,  Ken.  For  me,  of  course. 

At  least,  I  flatter  myself  that "  With  a  wink 

at  her  sister  she  added  facetiously:  "Of  course, 
one  never  knows  when  dealing  with  these  handsome 
men.  And  Helen  is  quite  adorable.  If  I  were  a 
man,  I  should  be  crazy  about  her." 

Helen  held  up  a  protesting  finger. 

"Don't  talk  like  that,  dear,  or  he'll  believe 
you." 

Kenneth  laughed. 

"Yes,  I'm  as  jealous  as  Othello  and  quite  as 
dangerous.  Don't  I  look  it?" 

As  he  spoke,  the  front  door-bell  rang  downstairs. 
Ray  hastily  took  up  her  things. 

"Here's  company!" 

"I  hope  not!"  exclaimed  Helen.  "I'm  in  no 
mood  to  see  anybody." 

"I'll  see  them,"  whispered  Ray,  "and  say  you're 
out.  It  won't  be  the  first  fib  I've  told." 

She  ran  lightly  out  of  the  room  and  upstairs, 
while  Helen  and  her  husband  went  on  with  the 
;work  of  packing.  They  were  just  stooping  to- 

60 


THE    MASK 


gather  over  a  trunk  when  there  came  a  rap  on  the 
door,  and  Frangois  appeared. 

"A  lady  to  see  monsieur." 

Kenneth  looked  puzzled. 

"A  lady?    What  lady?" 

Helen  laughed  merrily.  Triumphantly,  she  ex- 
claimed : 

"It's  my  turn  now  to  be  jealous." 

"Not  exactly  a  lady,  monsieur.  An  elderly 
person." 

"What's  her  name?" 

"Mrs.  Mary  O'Connor." 

Kenneth  smiled  broadly. 

"Mary  O'Connor,  my  old  nurse.  Well,  well, 
show  her  right  in."  Turning  to  his  wife  he  added 
quickly:  "Dear  old  soul — no  doubt  she's  heard 
I'm  off  to  Africa  and  wishes  to  say  good-bye." 

An  instant  later  an  old  woman  bent  with  age 
and  with  a  kindly  face  framed  with  silvery  white 
hair  came  in,  hands  outstretched.  Without  any 
air  of  condescension  on  his  part,  Kenneth  went 
forward  to  greet  her.  Through  all  the  long  stretch 
of  years,  from  his  boy  days  to  his  manhood  he  had 

61 


THH    MASK 


never  forgotten  how  kind  Mary  had  been  to  him 
when  a  child,  taking  the  place  of  the  mother  he 
had  lost  in  infancy.  A  Christmas  was  never  al- 
lowed to  pass  without  a  fat  turkey  for  the  old 
nurse  and  many  a  little  present  of  money  had 
accompanied  the  bird.  The  old  woman's  lips  quiv- 
ered as  she  said  tremulously: 

"It's  a  long  way  you're  going,  Mr.  Kenneth." 

"Oh,  I'll  soon  be  back,  Mary,"  he  rejoined 
jovially. 

She  shook  her  head. 

"It's  a  long  way  and  I'm  getting  old." 

The  promoter  laughed  boisterously.  Leading 
her  gently  to  a  chair  he  exclaimed : 

"Old!  Nonsense;  You're  just  as  young  to  me 
now  as  when  I  first  remember  you." 

The  old  lady  smiled.  Nodding  her  head  feebly, 
she  replied: 

"When  you  used  to  play  hide-and-seek  with  me. 
When  I  wanted  to  put  you  to  bed  you  were  no- 
where to  be  found." 

Helen  laughed  while  Kenneth  protested : 

"Oh,  come  now,  Mary,  I  wasn't  so  bad  as  that." 
62 


THE    MASK 


"No.  You  weren't  bad — just  lively  and  natural 
as  all  healthy  children.  You  were  always  a  better 
boy  than  your  brother." 

Helen  looked  up  quickly. 

"Your  brother,  Kenneth?  I  never  heard  you 
speak  of  a  brother." 

He  looked  at  the  old  lady  in  amazement. 

"My  brother?     What  brother?" 

The  old  lady  smiled. 

"That's  so — you  never  knew.  You  were  too 
young  to  remember.  Yes,  you  had  a  brother — a 
twin  brother.  People  hardly  knew  you  apart. 
There  was  only  one  way  in  which  your  mother 
and  I  could  tell." 

"What  was  that?"  demanded  the  promoter 
eagerly. 

"He  had  a  scar.  He  caught  his  hand  in  some 
machinery  when  a  baby  and  it  left  a  scar  in  the 
index  finger  of  the  left  hand." 

Transfixed,  Kenneth  listened  open-mouthed.  At 
last  breaking  the  spell,  he  exclaimed : 

"I  never  heard  of  him.  You  never  spoke  of 
him  before." 

63 


THB    MASK 


"How  should  you  remember?"  went  on  the  old 
woman.  "It's  many  years  ago.  Your  father  and 
mother  are  dead.  You  have  no  relatives  living. 
No  one  knows.  But  I  know." 

"Did  he  die?"  asked  Kenneth,  deeply  interested. 

The  old   lady  nodded  affirmatively. 

"I  shall  never  forgive  myself.  It  was  my  fault. 
You  were  playing  together  in  the  garden.  I  didn't 
dream  either  of  you  could  come  to  harm.  I  went 
into  the  house  for  a  moment  to  get  something. 
When  I  came  back  your  brother  was  gone — no 
trace  of  him  anywhere.  We  never  saw  him  again. 
Your  father,  heart-broken,  offered  a  fortune  for 
news  of  him.  The  police  hunted  high  and  low 
all  over  the  country.  There  was  no  trace.  Some 
gypsies  had  passed  recently  through  the  town.  I 
always  suspected  them.  That  is  thirty  years  ago 
and  more." 

"So  it's  not  even  known  if  he's  dead,"  inter- 
rupted Kenneth  eagerly. 

The  beldame  shook  her  head  sorrowfully,  as  she 
answered  sagely: 

"Oh,  he's  dead  all  right.  That's  sure.  There 
64 


THE    MASK 


was  money  left  to  him  by  your  grandfather.  For 
years  the  lawyers  advertised  for  news  of  him. 
But  it  was  no  good.  If  he'd  been  alive,  he'd  have 
claimed  his  own." 

"He  might  still  be  alive,  yet  unaware  of  his 
identity,"  broke  in  Helen,  who  was  a  keenly  in- 
terested listener.  She  had  been  so  accustomed  to 
regard  her  husband  as  the  only  son  of  parents, 
both  of  whom  were  dead,  that  the  mere  possibility 
of  his  having  a  brother  awakened  her  curiosity. 

Still  under  the  spell  of  the  old  woman's  unex- 
pected revelation,  Kenneth  had  relapsed  into  a 
thoughtful  silence.  The  surprising  news  had  af- 
fected him  strangely.  So — he  had  had  a  brother — a 
twin  brother,  and  all  these  years  he  had  been  in  ig- 
norance of  the  fact.  Yet  who  could  be  nearer  or 
dearer  than  a  twin  brother  ?  Together  they  had  lain 
under  the  same  mother's  heart.  Together  they  had 
first  seen  the  light  and  laughed  in  the  sun.  Ah,  if 
he  had  only  lived  to  be  his  comrade,  his  partner! 
With  a  brother  at  his  side,  to  second  him  in  his 
hazardous  enterprises,  he  felt  he  would  indeed  be 
invincible.  He  could  have  conquered  the  world! 

65 


THE    MASK 


The  old  nurse  held  out  a  withered  hand,  and 
her  eyes  were  moist  with  tears  as  she  said : 

"Good-bye,  Mr.  Kenneth.  A  safe  journey  to 
you.  Keep  out  of  danger.  I'll  be  praying  for  the 
Lord  to  watch  over  you." 

Helen  turned  away  so  they  might  not  see  her 
emotion.  Kenneth  laughed  lightly  as  he  kissed  the 
old  woman's  cheek,  and  then,  slipping  a  bank  note 
into  her  hand,  he  said  carelessly : 

"All  right,  Mary,  I'll  be  careful.  I'll  come  back 
safe  and  sound, — never  fear,  and  I'll  bring  you 
something  nice, — perhaps  a  big  diamond.  Out  in 
South  Africa  they  pick  'em  up  like  stones." 

The  old  woman's  eyes  opened  incredulously. 

"Really,  Mr.  Kenneth?" 

"Yes,  really.  Diamonds  as  big  as  apples.  They're 
found  every  day.  When  I  come  back  I'll  have  all 
sorts  of  adventures  to  tell  you  about.  Who  knows? 
I  might  even  run  across  this  twin-brother  of  mine. 
Stranger  things  have  happened." 

"Diamonds  as  big  as  apples,"  she  echoed.  "Do 
you  mean  that,  Mr.  Kenneth?" 

He  laughed. 

66 


THE    MASK 


"Indeed  I  do!  Some  of  the  gems  are  as  big 
as  cocoanuts.  Didn't  you  hear  of  that  wonderful 
diamond  we  found  the  other  day?  It's  worth  a 
million  dollars." 

The  old  woman  opened  her  eyes  and  gaped  with 
astonishment. 

"A  million  dollars,  Mr.  Kenneth!" 

"Yes,  a  million  dollars.  What's  more,  I'll  soon  be 
able  to  show  it  to  you,  Mary.  My  trip  out  to  South 
Africa  is  ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  negotiating 
for  more  land.  The  real  purpose  of  my  journey 
is  to  bring  home  this  astonishing  stone." 

"But  how  will  you  carry  it,  Mr.  Kenneth?  A 
stone  worth  a  million  dollars  must  be  big  as  a 
house." 

Kenneth  laughed.  » 

"No — no,  Mary.  It  can  easily  go  in  my  waist- 
coat pocket.  But  for  safety's  sake  it  won't.  I 
don't  mind  letting  you  into  my  confidence.  I'm 
to  have  a  secret  bottom  made  in " 

Before  he  could  complete  the  sentence,  Helen 
quickly  clapped  her  hand  over  his  mouth,  and  he 
had  not  yet  recovered  from  his  astonishment  when 

67 


THH    MASK 


she  sprang  to  the  door  and  opened  it.  The  move- 
ment was  so  sudden  and  unexpected  that  a  man 
who  had  been  leaning  against  it,  fell  all  his  length 
into  the  room.  It  was  Frangois,  the  French  valet. 

"Excuses,"  he  stammered,  "I  stumbled." 

Kenneth  stared  first  at  the  servant,  then  at  his 
wife.  Slowly  he  began  to  comprehend.  Turning 
to  the  Frenchman  he  demanded  angrily: 

"What  were  you  doing  behind  that  door?" 

"Excuses.  I  came  back  to  ask  monsieur  how 
many  shirts  I  pack." 

Thoroughly  aroused,  the  promoter  pointed  to  the 
door.  Sternly  he  said: 

"Get  out  of  here — you  fool!  If  you  don't  know 
your  business,  I'll  get  some  one  else  who  does." 

The  Frenchman  beat  a  rapid  retreat.  There  was 
a  malevolent  look  on  his  face,  but  he  murmured 
respectfully  enough: 

"Oui,  monsieur!' 

Kenneth  turned  to  his  wife. 

"What  did  he  come  back  for?"  he  demanded. 

"He  was  listening — behind  the  door,"  she  replied 
calmly. 

68 


CHAPTER   IV 

(HE  dirty,  sullen  waters  of  the  harbor 
washed  lazily  against  the  black,  precipitous 
sides  of  the  giant  liner  which,  under  a  full 
head  of  steam,  vibrated  with  suppressed  energy, 
straining  at  mighty  cables  as  if  impatient  to  start 
on  her  long  and  hazardous  voyage  across  the 
tumbling  seas.  A  raw,  piercing  northeaster,  howl- 
ing dismally  above  the  monotonous  creaking  and 
puffing  of  the  donkey-engine,  swept  through  the 
cheerless,  draughty  dock,  chilling  the  spectators  to 
the  marrow.  The  sun,  vainly  trying  to  break 
through  the  banks  of  leaden-colored  clouds,  cast  a 
grayish  pall  over  land  and  sky.  A  day  it  was  of 
sinister  portent,  that  could  not  fail  to  have  a  de- 
pressing effect  on  sailor  and  landlubber  alike. 

Yet  unpropitious  skies  and  chilly  wind  did  not 
appear  to  keep  people  at  home.  The  steamer  was 
crowded,  both  with  those  who  were  sailing  and 
those  who  were  not.  The  gangways,  staterooms 

69 


THE    MASK 


were  overrun  not  only  by  passengers,  but  by  all 
sorts  of  visitors  curious  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the 
luxurious  liner.  The  first-class  saloon,  heaped  high 
on  all  sides  with  American  Beauty  roses  and  or- 
chids, looked  as  gay  and  full  of  color  as  a  florist's 
shop. 

"Isn't  it  perfectly  stunning?  How  I  adore 
ships!"  exclaimed  Ray,  eager  to  see  everything. 

Keeping  close  together,  the  two  young  women 
with  difficulty  elbowed  their  way  through  the  ex- 
cited throng.  They  were  anxious  to  rejoin  Ken- 
neth whom  they  had  left  in  the  stateroom  giving 
instructions  to  Francois,  and  they  began  to  be  afraid 
they  might  lose  him  in  the  crush.  Delighted  at 
everything  she  saw,  Ray  could  not  contain  her- 
self. 

"Oh,  how  I  wish  I  were  going!  Why  doesn't 
Ken  take  me?" 

Helen  turned  to  her  in  mock  despair. 

"If  you  went,  what  would  I  do?  Who  would 
take  care  of  me?" 

"I  would,"  said  a  masculine  voice  close  by. 
women  turned  quickly. 
70 


THE    MASK 


A  tall,  fair  man  still  in  his  thirties,  had  stopped 
and  raised  his  hat. 

"Why,  it's  Mr.  Steell!"  exclaimed  Ray,  her 
pleasure  at  the  meeting  betraying  itself  in  the  tone 
of  her  voice. 

"Do  you  doubt  my  ability  to  take  care  of  you? 
Could  any  man  wish  for  a  more  congenial 
task?" 

"Flatterer!"  laughed  Helen.  Cordially  she  add- 
ed: "I'm  awfully  glad  to  see  you.  It  was  very 
good  of  you  to  come  and  see  Ken  off." 

"Nonsense,"  exclaimed  the  newcomer.  "I 
wanted  to  come — if  only  to  make  sure  he  wouldn't 
change  his  mind.  I'm  as  anxious  to  see  those  dia- 
monds as  you  are." 

"Hush!"  said  Helen  putting  up  her  finger  to  her 
mouth  while  Ray's  attention  was  momentarily  di- 
verted elsewhere.  "No  one  knows — not  even  Ray. 
It's  a  great  secret." 

An  anxious  look  passed  over  the  young  man's 
face.  He  hadn't  approved  of  this  South  African 
trip.  It  was  wholly  unnecessary.  In  his  opinion 
his  old  chum  was  taking  a  great  risk. 

71 


THE    MASK 


"That's  right,"  he  muttered.  "You  can't  be  too 
careful." 

In  metropolitan  legal  circles  Wilbur  Steell  was 
looked  upon  as  the  coming  man.  His  success  in  the 
courts  had  given  him  a  wide  reputation  before  he 
was  five  and  thirty,  and  his  gifts  as  a  public 
speaker,  his  strong,  aggressive  personality  made 
more  than  one  political  leader  anxious  to  secure 
his  services.  Already  he  was  mentioned  as  district 
attorney.  Even  the  Governorship  might  have  been 
his  for  the  asking.  But  he  showed  no  liking  for 
politics.  His  sympathies  leaned  more  towards  the 
literary,  intellectual  life.  Having  all  the  money 
he  needed,  he  preferred  to  keep  out  of  the  social 
and  political  maelstrom,  leading  a  quiet  life,  fol- 
lowing his  own  tastes  and  inclinations.  Match- 
making mammas  saw  in  him  a  prize,  but  so  far  he 
had  shown  no  disposition  to  marry.  He  cultivated 
few  people,  in  fact,  was  considered  somewhat  of 
a  misanthrope.  Kenneth  he  had  known  all  his  life. 
They  were  boys  together,  and  the  Traynors  were 
among  the  few  on  whom  he  called  frequently.  He 
made  no  secret  of  his  attraction  for  Ray,  and  the 

72 


THE    MASK 


young  girl  liked  him  as  well  as  she  chose  to  like 
anybody.  He  had  qualities,  not  usually  met  with 
in  successful  men,  that  made  a  strong  appeal  to 
her — fine  ideals,  and  a  purpose  in  life.  She  liked 
his  seriousness,  finding  him  different  in  this  re- 
spect from  any  other  man  she  knew.  She  felt 
he  admired  her,  but  he  did  not  make  love  to  her 
and  she  was  grateful  to  him  for  that.  She  liked 
his  society  and  never  tired  of  discussing  with  him 
sociology  and  other  subjects  in  which  both  were 
interested. 

"When  does  the  steamer  sail?"  interrupted  Ray 
anxiously,  as  if  afraid  that  they  might  go  off  with 
her  on  board. 

"In  half  an  hour,"  said  the  lawyer.  "They  ring 
a  warning  bell.  There  is  plenty  of  time.  Where's 
Kenneth?" 

"Down  below  in  his  stateroom — wrestling  with 
baggage,"  replied  Helen.  "He  said  he  would  join 
us  here." 

"Well,  suppose  we  sit  down  a  bit,"  he  suggested. 

"Yes — that  will  be  jolly,"  exclaimed  Ray. 

The  lawyer  pulled  up  three  steamer  chairs  and 
73 


THB    MASK 


sitting  down,  they  watched  the  crowd  which  had 
already  begun  to  thin  out.  The  novelty  of  the 
scene  held  both  women  fascinated.  The  constant 
bustle  and  excitement,  the  going  and  coming  of 
well-groomed  men  and  women,  the  little  scraps  of 
conversation  overheard,  interested  them  both  be- 
yond measure.  Helen  studied  each  individual  cou- 
ple, wondering  who  they  were,  how  long  married, 
if  they  were  happy,  where  they  were  going  to. 
She  wondered  if  that  coarse,  loudly  dressed  woman 
really  cared  for  her  husband,  or  if  this  brutal 
looking  man  with  insolent  stare  of  the  libertine, 
illtreated  his  delicate  little  wife.  She  herself  could 
not  understand  marriage  without  genuine  affection 
on  both  sides.  Any  such  intimate  relation  as  the 
marriage  tie  involved  must  surely  be  repellent  and 
abhorrent  to  any  self-respecting  woman  unless  love 
were  there  to  sanction  and  sanctify  it. 

Ray  glanced  at  her  sister  and  laughed. 

"Why  so  serious,  Helen?    He  hasn't  gone  yet." 

Helen  sighed. 

"But  he  soon  will  be.     I  wish  he  were  here  in- 
stead of  downstairs." 

74 


THH    MASK 


Ray  protested. 

"Please  be  nautically  correct.  Remember  we 
are  on  a  ship.  You  don't  say  'downstairs' ;  you  say 
'below/  " 

Mr.  Steell  turned  round  with  a  smile. 

"I  had  no  idea  you  were  so  well  posted  in 
sailor's  parlance." 

The  young  girl  laughed. 

"Oh,  you  don't  know  half  my  accomplishments. 
I'm  cleverer  than  you  give  me  credit  for." 

The  young  man  leaned  half  over  the  chair  as 
he  whispered : 

"I  wouldn't  dare  tell  you  how  clever  I  think  you." 

"Why?" 

"Because — of  my  own  peace  of  mind." 

Helen  broke  in  on  the  conversation.  Addressing 
the  lawyer,  she  said: 

"Now  Kenneth  is  away,  we  shall  expect  you 
to  come  to  the  house  very  often." 

The  lawyer  bowed. 

"It's  always  a  pleasure  to  call." 

"Be  sure  to  come  next  Sunday  evening.  I  ex- 
pect some  friends.  We'll  have  some  music." 

75 


THB    MASK 


"May  I  bring  someone?" 

"Certainly.    Any  friend  of  yours  is  welcome." 

"Who  is  it?"  asked  Ray  impertinently.  "Male 
or  female?" 

"I  believe  it's  a  male,"  smiled  the  lawyer.  "It 
looks  like  a  male  and  talks  like  one."  More  se- 
riously he  went  on:  "His  name  is  Dick  Reynolds. 
He  has  just  passed  his  bar  examination  and  is  prac- 
ticing temporarily  in  my  office.  His  people  live 
out  West  and  being  alone  here,  he  is  glad  enough 
to  have  somewhere  to  go." 

"Bring  him  by  all  means,"  exclaimed  Ray.  "Has 
he  any  accomplishments — apart  from  being  a 
male?" 

"Yes — he  plays  the  piano  indifferently,  and  ten- 
nis admirably.  He  swims  like  a  fish,  and  can  run 
like  a  hare.  But  his  best  accomplishment  is  a  gift 
that  one  seldom  sees  developed " 

"What  is  that?"  exclaimed  both  his  listeners  at 
once. 

"He  is  a  born  detective — a  regular  Sherlock 
Holmes  in  real  life.  I  have  tested  him  several 
times  with  extraordinary  results.  I  have  given 

76 


THE    MASK 


him  the  most  difficult  cases  to  unravel.  He  has 
found  the  solution  in  every  one." 

Ray  clapped  her  hands. 

"Oh,  I  love  that,"  she  said.  "Don't  forget  to 
invite  him.  Only  the  trouble  is  we  have  nothing  to 
unravel." 

"I  have  a  skein  of  silk,"  interrupted  Helen 
facetiously. 

Suddenly  the  lawyer  stopped  speaking  and 
quickly  sitting  up  in  his  chair  stared  intently  in 
the  distance  at  a  face  in  the  crowd  which  had 
caught  his  eye. 

"Who  is  it?"  demanded  Ray,  her  woman's  jeal- 
ousy aroused. 

"I  may  be  mistaken,"  he  replied,  "but  I  thought 
I  saw  your  friend  Signer  Keralio." 

Helen  looked  up  quickly. 

"My  friend?"  she  exclaimed.  "He's  no  friend 
of  mine.  I  wonder  what  he's  doing  here.  He  can't 
be  sailing." 

"He's  up  to  no  good,  I  wager  that,"  growled 
the  lawyer. 

"You  don't  like  him  either,  do  you?"  smiled  Ray. 

77 


THE    MASK 


"Does  anyone?"  he  answered.  "I  don't  see  how 
Kenneth  can  have  anything  to  do  with  such  a 
cheap;  type  of  adventurer." 

Helen  hastened  to  explain. 

"Ken  doesn't  care  for  him  at  all,  only  they  are 
both  interested  in  the  same  business  deal — a  silver 
mine  in  Mexico.  Ken  bought  stock  and  Keralio 
is  the  only  man  he  knows  connected  with  it.  That's 
why." 

The  lawyer  gave  vent  to  a  grunt  of  disgust. 

"If  Keralio  has  anything  to  do  with  it,  good-bye 
to  Ken's  money.  In  my  opinion  the  fellow's  a 
crook." 

Suddenly  Helen  pointed  to  a  spot  away  down 
at  the  other  end  of  the  deck. 

"Yes — you're  right — there  he  is — behind  that 
third  lifeboat.  He's  talking  to  some  one." 

The  lawyer  looked  in  the  direction  indicated. 

"Yes — and  do  you  see  the  secretive  way  in  which 
they're  talking — hiding  behind  that  boat,  as  if  so 
that  no  one  might  see  them.  They're  plotting  some 
mischief,  you  may  be  sure  of  that.  Who's  the  other 
fellow?" 


THE    MASK 


Helen  strained  her  eyes  to  see. 

"I  can't  see  his  face.  Oh,  yes  I  can — why — it's 
our  Francois — Kenneth's  valet.  What  can  they 
be  talking  about?  I  don't  trust  that  valet.  Only 
the  other  day  I  caught  him  reading  some  letters. 
I  warned  Ken  about  him ;  but  he  insists  he  is  faith- 
ful— I  wonder  what  they  can  have  in  common? 
He  used  to  be  in  Signer  Keralio's  employ." 

The  lawyer  shook  his  head  ominously.  Gravely 
he  said: 

"That  fellow  Keralio  will  bear  watching.  I  think 
I'll  put  my  Sherlock  Holmes  on  his  track." 

Ray  laughed. 

"Oh,  that  would  be  exciting — a  drama  in  real 
life.  Please  do " 

"Good  morning,  ladies!"  said  a  voice  close  at 
hand.  "Good  morning,  Mr.  Steell." 

All  looked  up.  A  tall,  elderly  man  with  white 
hair,  distinguished  looking  and  fashionably  dressed, 
had  stopped. 

"Why,  it's  Mr.  Parker!"  exclaimed  Helen  hold- 
ing out  her  hand.  "You  came  to  see  Kenneth 
off?" 

79 


THE    MASK 


"Yes— where  is  he?" 

"In  his  stateroom — attending  to  his  baggage. 
He'll  be  here  directly." 

"I  must  see  him  at  once." 

"Anything  important  ?" 

"Very  important,  indeed,"  replied  the  new- 
comer. 

Helen  jumped  up,  all  flushed  from  excitement. 

"Please  tell  me  what  it  is?"  she  exclaimed. 

The  old  gentleman  drew  a  telegram  from  his 
pocket. 

"I've  just  received  this  from  our  agent  in  Cape 
Town.  Another  diamond  of  extraordinary  size 
has  been  picked  up.  It  weighs  over  2,000  carats 
and  is  calculated  to  be  worth  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  That's  the  second  stone  of  extraordinary 
size  that  we  have  found.  Possibly  there  is  some 
exaggeration  in  the  reports,  but  there  is  no  doubt 
whatever  that  we  are  on  the  verge  of  discoveries 
little  short  of  sensational.  Meantime,  the  treasury 
of  the  Americo- African  Mining  Company  has  been 
enriched  by  at  least  a  million.  When  Kenneth  re- 
turns to  New  York  with  these  wonderful  gems  in 

80 


THE    MASK 


his  possession,  there  is  likely  to  be  a  boom  in  the 
company's  shares." 

The  old  gentleman  spoke  glibly,  even  eloquently 
and  it  was  obvious  that  he  was  sincere  and  not 
talking  for  effect.  It  was,  indeed,  largely  due  to 
his  distinguished  air,  and  fine  oratorical  powers 
that  Cornelius  Winthrop  Parker  had  been  elected 
president  of  the  Americo- African  Mining  Company, 
with  fine  offices  in  New  York  and  London  and 
stockholders  in  every  country  under  the  sun. 
Trained  for  the  ministry  and  enjoying  a  wide  ac- 
quaintance but  a  slim  income,  he  had  found  the 
business  of  stock  company  promotion  more  profit- 
able than  preaching  the  gospel,  and  when  Traynor 
had  first  gone  to  him  with  the  suggestion  that  a 
company  be  formed  to  take  up  the  large  tract  of 
Transvaal  land  where  precious  stones  had  actually 
been  found  he  was  not  slow  to  grasp  at  the  un- 
usual opportunity.  He  managed  cleverly  the  pre- 
liminary publicity  campaign.  The  company  was 
promptly  organized  and  successfully  floated,  the 
public  snapping  as  eagerly  at  the  shares  as  a  fish 
at  the  bait.  It  was  only  logical  to  infer,  there- 
Si 


THB    MASK 


fore,  that  when  Kenneth  returned  to  New  York 
with  actual  proof  of  the  company's  suddenly  ac- 
quired wealth  in  his  possession,  the  stock  would 
soar  above  par.  With  this  pleasing  prospect  in 
view,  it  was  not  surprising  that  Mr.  Parker  wore 
to-day  his  most  engaging  smile. 

Ray  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"What!"  she  exclaimed.  "Kenneth  to  bring 
home  the  diamonds  ?  This  is  the  first  I  heard  of  it. 
Helen  never  told  me." 

"Hush!"  said  Mr.  Parker,  holding  up  his  hand, 
warningly.  "Some  one  might  hear  you."  Con- 
tinuing, he  said  blandly: 

"Of  course  not,  my  dear  lady,  of  course  not. 
Your  sister  is  far  too  discreet  and  clever  a  woman 
to  disclose  her  husband's  plans  to  the  world.  There 
are  some  things  a  man  must  keep  secret  from 
everyone — even  from  his  wife.  It  would  have 
been  the  height  of  folly  to  make  any  such  an- 
nouncement from  the  housetops.  The  highways  are 
full  of  rogues;  even  the  walls  have  ears.  Some 
crook  might  have  learned  of  our  plans  and  acted 
accordingly.  Kenneth  might  be  followed  to  South 

82 


THE    MASK 


Africa,  shadowed  till  he  has  the  gems  in  his  pos- 
session and  then  waylaid  and  murdered.  Remem- 
ber, he  will  have  stones  in  his  waistcoat  pocket 
worth  a  million.  Do  you  suppose  desperate  men 
will  stop  at  anything  to  secure  such  a  prize  ?" 

Ray  turned  to  her  sister. 

"Did  you  know?" 

Helen  nodded. 

"Yes,  and  it  has  made  me  very  unhappy.  It  is 
terrible  that  he  is  taking  such  risks."  Turning  to 
Mr.  Parker  she  asked  apprehensively:  "Do  you 
think  he  will  run  any  danger?" 

The  old  gentleman  shook  his  head. 

"Of  course  not,  my  dear  lady.  It  is  prepos- 
terous to  even  think  of  such  a  thing.  We  have 
kept  the  matter  too  secret.  Don't  be  uneasy.  He 
will  come  to  no  harm."  Raising  his  hat,  he  added: 
"Excuse  me,  ladies.  I'll  go  and  find  Kenneth 
and  bring  him  to  you." 

The  next  instant  he  was  swallowed  up  by  the 
crowd. 

Helen,  uneasy  at  her  husband's  prolonged  ab- 
sence, suggested  that  they  go  below  and  join  him. 

83 


THE    MASK 


Suddenly  a  stentorian  voice  called  out : 

"AH  ashore— all  ashore!" 

Quickly,  Helen  jumped  to  her  feet,  only  to 
bump  into  Kenneth,  who  at  that  moment  ran  up, 
followed  by  Mr.  Parker. 

"All  ashore,  dear,"  he  said  hastily,  "you  had 
better  go." 

She  made  no  reply,  but  averted  her  head  so 
he  might  not  see  her  red  eyes. 

All  about  them  the  bustle  and  excitement  was 
bewildering.  People  pushed  this  way  and  that 
in  their  efforts  to  reach  the  gangway. 

The  siren  sounded  its  last  deep  toned  blasts 
of  warning;  the  final  greetings  were  exchanged. 

Tall  and  handsome  looking  in  his  tourist  knicker- 
bockers and  close  fitting  steamer  cap,  Kenneth  held 
both  Helen's  hands  in  his.  Ray  and  Mr.  Parker, 
under  the  pretence  of  visiting  the  anchor  weighed, 
had  discreetly  withdrawn.  Frangois,  the  valet, 
could  be  seen  in  the  distance,  making  signals  to 
some  one  on  shore.  Husband  and  wife  were  stand- 
ing alone  behind  one  of  the  big  ventilators,  Helen 
glad  that  no  one  saw  them,  ashamed  that  anyone 

84 


THE    MASK 


should  detect  the  big  tears  she  was  unable  to  con- 
trol. How  she  had  dreaded  this  moment  of  actual 
parting,  this  ordeal  of  saying  good-bye! 

"You'll  write  every  day,  won't  you?"  she  asked 
in  choking  voice. 

Tenderly  he  drew  her  to  him. 

"Every  day,  sweetheart." 

"And  you'll  come  back  safe  to  me?" 

"I'll  come  back  safe  to  you." 

Bravely  she  forced  back  the  tears  that  blinded 
her.  Gently  she  murmured : 

"I'll  wait  for  you,  Kenneth.  I  shall  count  the 
days,  every  moment,  until  you  return.  I  never 
realized  till  now  how  much  we  are  to  each  other. 
I'll  pray  for  you,  Kenneth ;  I'll  pray  God  that  He 
watch  over  and  protect  you." 

He  said  nothing,  but  drew  her  toward  him. 
Looking  searchingly  into  her  eyes,  he  said  half  in 
jest,  half  in  earnest: 

"You'll  be  true,  always  true!" 

Gravely  she  answered: 

"Always— until  death !" 
"You'll  look  at  no  other  man." 
85 


THE    MASK 


"How  can  you  be  so  foolish,  Ken  dear?  I  see 
no  one  but  you.  I  hear  no  voice  but  yours.  You 
are  my  life,  my  soul.  When  you  return  you'll  find 
me  here,  at  this  same  dock,  arms  outstretched, 
waiting,  just  waiting." 

The  bell  rang. 

"All  ashore!     All  ashore!" 

He  bent  low.  His  mouth  met  hers  in  one  deep, 
lingering  kiss. 

"God  bless  you,  darling." 

"Good-bye,  Ken,  good-bye." 

The  next  thing  she  knew  she  was  back  on  the 
dock  among  a  crowd  of  spectators  waving  hats  and 
handkerchiefs — the  women  weeping,  the  men  shout- 
ing and  gesticulating. 

The  passengers  stood  at  the  rail,  waving  frantic 
adieux  in  return.  The  siren  sounded  deep-toned 
blasts  of  warning  to  the  smaller  river  craft  to  get 
out  of  the  way.  The  huge  vessel  strained  and 
trembled,  vibrating  more  violently  as  she  grad- 
ually began  to  glide  into  the  open.  Assisted  by  a 
fleet  of  energetic  tugs  she  finally  swung  clear  and 

86 


THE    MASK 


pointed  her  nose  eastward.     Slowly,  majestically, 
the  leviathan  moved  out  to  sea. 

It  was  bad  enough  to  see  him  go  at  all,  but  to 
have  him  sail  on  such  a  gloomy  day  as  this,  with 
not  a  ray  of  sunshine  to  cheer  him  on  the  way, 
was  more  than  Helen  could  bear.  Blinded  by  tears 
she  stood  kissing  her  hand  to  the  familiar  figure 
now  only  faintly  discernible  on  the  fast  receding 
steamship,  and  she  stood  there  long  after  every  one 
else  had  left  the  dock  watching  until  the  Maul  e- 
tania  was  only  a  speck  in  the  horizon. 


CHAPTER   V 

SUNDAY  evenings  at  Mrs.  Traynor's  were  al- 
ways enjoyable.    No  formal  invitations  were 
issued.    Friends  just  dropped  in  as  they  felt 
inclined.      There   was   good   music,    excellent   tea 
a  la  Russe  and  always  a  number  of  interesting 
people. 

To-night,  the  second  Sunday  since  Kenneth 
went  away,  promised  to  be  duller  than  usual.  Mr. 
Steell  was  there,  of  course,  and  he  had  brought 
Dick  Reynolds,  a  slightly  built,  shrewd  looking 
young  man  with  glasses,  who  kept  everybody 
amused  with  exciting  stories  of  the  underworld. 
Yet,  for  all  the  animation,  there  was  an  atmos- 
phere of  gloom  in  the  air,  an  indefinable  sense  of 
depression  which  all  felt  and  could  not  explain. 
The  lawyer,  Dick,  and  Ray  were  in  a  corner 
carrying  on  an  animated  discussion.  Helen, 
her  mind  preoccupied,  her  thoughts  hundreds  of 
miles  away  with  the  loved  absent  one,  sat  quietly 

88 


THE    MASK 


at  the  piano,  running  her  fingers  lightly  over  the 
keys,  her  thoughts  many  leagues  distant  with  the 
man  who  had  carried  her  heart  away  with  him. 

Her  face  was  pale,  her  expression  grave.  Why 
had  Kenneth's  going  away  affected  her  like  this? 
She  had  not  had  a  moment's  peace  of  mind  since 
his  departure.  She  could  not  sleep.  Horrible 
dreams  and  thoughts  haunted  her  all  night.  Some 
danger  threatened,  that  she  felt  instinctively. 
Something  dreadful  was  going  to  happen.  What  it 
was,  she  did  not  know.  But  it  was  something  that 
threatened  her  happiness,  perhaps  her  life  or  Ken- 
neth's  '.  At  the  mere  thought  a  shiver  ran 

through  her,  and  a  convulsive  sob  rose  in  her  throat, 
almost  choking  her.  Not  until  this  moment  had  she 
fully  realized  how  much  she  loved  him. 

A  sudden  burst  of  laughter  at  the  other  end  of 
the  room  aroused  her  from  her  reverie.  Looking 
up,  she  asked: 

"What  are  you  all  so  amused  about?" 

Ray  smiled  as  she  replied : 

"We're  arguing  about  dual  personalities.  Mr. 
Steell  insists  that  there  is  no  such  thing.  Mr.  Rey- 

89 


THE    MASK 


nolds  agrees  with  him.  He  is  wrong  of  course.  I 
know  of  several  well-authenticated  cases,  and  the 
medical  records  are  there  to  back  me  up." 

"Exactly  what  do  you  mean  by  dual  personal- 
ity?" demanded  the  lawyer. 

Ray  returned  to  the  attack,  while  Helen,  amused, 
rose  from  the  piano  and  went  over  to  listen  to  the 
argument. 

"I  mean  that  a  person  we  know  well  may  sud- 
denly cease  being  that  person  and  assume  a  per- 
sonality entirely  different." 

Mr.  Steell  laughed  derisively. 

"Does  the  patient  change  her  or  his  skin?" 

"No,  the  change  is  wholly  mental.  Although  in 
fact,  the  new  mental  attitude  does  result  in  certain 
physical  modifications.  For  instance,  a  person  who 
in  his  normal  condition  may  be  most  punctilious 
and  neat  in  his  dress  is  likely  to  become  unkempt 
and  slovenly  in  the  new  character  he  unconsciously 
assumes." 

"Have  you  ever  encountered  any  such  dual  per- 
sonalities ?" 

"Personally,  no.  But  I  have  heard  of  them,  and 
90 


THE    MASK 


physicians  often  encounter  them  in  their  prac- 
tice." 

The  lawyer  shrugged  his  shoulders  as  he  turned 
to  Helen. 

"What  do  you  think  about  it?"  he  asked,  with 
an  incredulous  smile. 

"About  what?" 

"These  so-called  dual  personalities." 

Before  his  hostess  could  answer,  the  drawing- 
room  door  opened  and  Mr.  Parker  entered.  Helen 
rose  and  went  forward  to  greet  the  president  of 
the  Americo- African  Mining  Company. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Parker,  how  are  you?  I  am  so  glad 
you  came  to  see  us." 

The  visitor  advanced  smiling  into  the  room. 
With  a  salute  to  all  present,  he  asked  cheerily : 

"Well,  what  news  of  the  wanderer?" 

Helen  sighed. 

"None  as  yet." 

The  visitor  chuckled  as  he  crossed  the  room  to 
shake  hands  with  Ray  and  Mr.  Steell. 

"Oh,  well  you  must  be  patient.  He'll  soon  be 
there,  and  then  we  shall  hear  wonderful  tales." 


THE    MASK 


"What's  the  latest  news  from  the  seat  of  war — I 
mean  the  mines?"  asked  Ray  roguishly. 

Mr.  Parker  smiled. 

"Everything  is  going  well,  thank  you." 

"No  new  big  finds  ?"  demanded  Mr.  Steell. 

The  president  laughed.  Shaking  his  head,  he 
said: 

"We  can't  expect  to  make  such  finds  every  day. 
If  we  often  picked  up  stones  of  that  size,  we'd  soon 
own  all  the  wealth  in  the  world." 

"More  likely,"  retorted  Ray  quickly,  "that  dia- 
monds would  become  so  cheap  that  children  would 
buy  them  for  marbles." 

Mr.  Steell  looked  interested. 

"What  is  the  real  market  value  of  the  two  big 
gems  you  have  already  picked  up  ?" 

The  president  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  in  si- 
lence. Then,  slowly,  he  said: 

"A  very  conservative  estimate  is  $1,200,000  for 
both  stones.  They  are  the  purest  white.  There 
are  larger  stones  in  the  world,  but  none  of  finer 
quality." 

"What  do  you  expect  to  do  with  them?" 
92 


THE    MASK 


"First,  they  will  be  brought  here  and  exhibited 
in  their  crude  state.  You  can  easily  realize  the 
value  to  our  company  of  such  a  gigantic  advertise- 
ment. Crowds  will  flock  to  see  the  wonderful  crys- 
tals. The  newspapers  all  over  the  country  will  give 
them  the  widest  publicity.  After  everybody  has 
seen  them,  we  shall  probably  send  them  to  Amster- 
dam to  be  cut." 

"Then,  what  will  you  do  with  them?" 

"To  tell  you  the  truth,  we  have  not  made  up  our 
minds.  Such  very  large  stones  have  really  no  com- 
mercial value.  Take  for  instance  the  famous  Cul- 
linan,  the  wonder  of  the  modern  world.  That  gem 
was  so  huge  that  it  was  of  no  real  value  to  the 
owners ;  so,  unable  to  realize  on  it  themselves,  they 
induced  the  Transvaal  government  to  buy  it  and 
present  it  to  the  King  of  England.  We  shall  try 
to  be  a  little  more  practical.  Our  first  duty  is  to 
our  stockholders.  We  shall  probably  have  the 
stones  cut  up  into  a  number  of  smaller  stones,  on 
which  we  shall  be  able  to  realize  a  large  sum.  It's 
a  rare  stroke  of  good  fortune  for  us." 

Helen  had  said  nothing,  but  stood  listening  in 
93 


THE    MASK 


silence.  It  was  less  of  the  money  involved  in  the 
adventure  that  she  was  thinking  than  of  her  hus- 
band's safety. 

"Suppose  Kenneth  loses  the  gems?"  she  faltered. 

The  old  gentleman  laughed. 

"There's  no  fear  of  him  losing  them.  He  may 
have  to  fight  for  them,  but  he'll  never  lose  them 
I  know  him  too  well  for  that." 

Helen's  eyes  opened  wide. 

"He  may  have  to  fight  for  them,"  she  echoed. 
"Do  you  mean  that?" 

"No — no,  of  course  not,"  said  the  president 
hastily.  "No  one  will  even  know  he  has  them  in 
his  possession.  We  have  kept  the  matter  very 
quiet." 

Mr.  Steell  shrugged  his  shoulders.  Drily  he 
said :  x 

"Oh,  I  guess  Ken  is  big  enough  to  take  care  of 
himself.  It  does  look  as  if  it  were  tempting  Provi- 
dence to  carry  loose  on  one's  person  valuables  for 
so  large  an  amount,  but  it's  hardly  likely  that  any 
of  the  denizens  of  the  underworld  know  of  his  de- 
parture. Still  less  that  he  is  carrying  a  million  loose 

94 


THE    MASK 


in  his  clothes.  I  don't  see  that  there's  any  reason 
to  worry." 

"That's  precisely  my  opinion,"  said  a  musical 
voice  immediately  behind  them. 

All  started  and  looked  up.  Everyone  had  been 
so  intent  on  the  conversation  that  they  had  not  no- 
ticed a  man  who  had  entered  the  room. 

He  was  a  tall,  dark-complexioned  man  of  five  and 
thirty  with  strong,  stern  features,  which,  in  repose, 
were  actually  forbidding.  The  mouth,  partly  con- 
cealed by  a  long,  bristling  moustache,  was  firm, 
suggesting  relentless  will  power,  and  his  eyes,  rest- 
less, keen  and  searching,  had  taken  in  every  person 
there  long  before  anyone  was  aware  of  his  pres- 
ence. He  was  fashionably,  even  elegantly  dressed, 
and  on  his  left  hand  he  wore  a  solitaire  of  uncom- 
mon size  and  luster.  His  hair,  carefully  curled, 
scented  and  parted,  was  extraordinarily  dark,  con- 
trasting sharply  with  the  unusual  pallor  of  his  face. 
He  spoke  low  and  musically,  with  a  slight  foreign 
accent. 

Helen  started  involuntarily  on  hearing  the  sound 
of  his  voice,  and  a  cloud  passed  momentarily  over 

95 


THE    MASK 


her  face.  It  lasted  only  a  moment.  She  was  too 
tactful,  too  much  the  woman  of  the  world  not  to 
greet  with  at  least  apparent  cordiality  any  visitor 
under  her  roof,  no  matter  how  unwelcome  he  might 
really  be.  Turning  quickly,  she  advanced  and  held 
out  her  hand. 

"How  do  you  do,  Signer  Keralio?  How  you 
startled  us !  I  did  not  hear  you  come  in." 

The  newcomer's  black  eyes  flashed,  and  his  thin 
lips  parted  in  a  smile  as  he  bent  low  and  ceremoni- 
ously kissed  his  hostess'  hand  in  continental  fashion. 
Fond,  as  are  most  men  of  the  Latin  race,  of  mak- 
ing extravagant  compliments,  he  murmured  softly : 

"Your  tiny  ears,  Madam,  were  not  intended  to 
distinguish  such  gross  sounds  as  ordinary  mortal's 
footsteps.  Dainty  and  delicately  fashioned  as  the 
shells  strewn  along  the  beach,  they  were  modeled 
only  to  listen  to  the  gods  or  re-echo  the  music  of 
the  murmuring  sea."  Apologetically  he  added: 
"But  I'm  afraid  I  intrude.  Possibly  you  discuss 
family  affairs " 

A  look  of  annoyance  crossed  Helen's  face. 
Quickly  withdrawing  her  hand,  she  said : 

96 


run  MASK 


"Oh,  not  at  all.  We  were  only  talking  about  my 
husband.  You  know  he  sailed  for  South  Africa 
two  weeks  ago.  This  is  Mr.  Steell,  Signer  Keralio. 
I  think  you  know  my  sister.  Mr.  Parker — Signor 
Keralio." 

The  old  gentleman  nodded  affably,  and,  putting 
on  his  glass,  scrutinized  the  newcomer  narrowly. 
The  president  of  the  Americo- African  Mining  Com- 
pany had  always  made  it  a  point  not  to  neglect  any 
chance  introduction.  He  had  no  idea  who  the  vis- 
itor was,  but  he  looked  prosperous.  Possibly  with 
a  little  careful  manipulation,  he  might  be  induced 
to  invest  in  some  A.  A.  M.  stock.  Holding  out  his 
hand,  he  said  affably: 

"Signor  Keralio Let  me  see.  Where  have 

I  heard  that  name  before?" 

Ray  came  to  the  rescue. 

"Signor  Keralio  is  the  well-known  fencing 
master." 

A  look  of  disappointment  came  over  the  presi- 
dent's face.  Only  a  fencing  master?  Ugh!  He 
was  hardly  worth  bothering  about.  He  wondered 
whether  the  business  were  profitable  and  if  all  fenc- 

97 


THE    MASK 


ing  masters  dressed  like  millionaires  and  had  such 
polished  manners.  Helen  explained : 

"Signer  Keralio  is  a  friend  of  my  husband. 
Kenneth  enjoys  fencing,  and  Signer  Keralio  is  his 
teacher." 

"Oh,  yes,  to  be  sure,"  smiled  Mr.  Parker.  "Cap- 
ital idea — splendid  exercise.  I'd  try  it  myself,  only 
I'm  afraid  I'd  do  my  adversary  some  injury." 

The  Italian  gave  a  low  chuckle.  With  veiled 
irony,  he  said: 

"Monsieur  is  right.  He  no  doubt  has  a  good  eye, 
a  supple  wrist.  An  encounter  might  be  very  un- 
pleasant for  his  opponent." 

Ray,  unable  to  control  her  mirth,  hastily  beat  a 
retreat,  followed  more  leisurely  by  Mr.  Steell,  and 
taking  refuge  at  the  far  end  of  the  room  sat  down 
at  the  piano,  and  began  to  play  softly  a  Chopin 
nocturne. 

Waving  the  newcomer  to  a  seat,  Mr.  Parker  of- 
fered him  a  cigar,  which  the  fencing  master,  with 
a  courteous  bow,  asked  his  hostess'  permission  to 
smoke. 

"By  all  means,"  she  said,  "and  with  your  per- 
98 


THE    MASK 


mission  I'll  leave  you  gentlemen  alone  a  few  mo- 
ments. I  have  a  letter  to  finish.  It  must  go  to- 
night to  catch  the  boat." 

"It's  to  your  husband,  I  wager,"  said  Keralio, 
with  a  sardonic  smile. 

"An  easy  guess,"  she  retorted.  "I  write  him 
every  day." 

The  fencing  master  gave  a  sigh  as  he  exclaimed : 

"Ah,  such  devotion  is  truly  beautiful!  Why  have 
I  never  known  such  love  as  that?" 

"Perhaps  you  never  deserved  it!"  she  retorted. 

Mr.  Parker  chuckled. 

"That's  what  we  in  the  American  vernacular  call 
'a  knock-out.'  " 

Helen  laughed  lightly.  There  was  a  swish  of 
silken  petticoats,  and  she  disappeared  in  an  alcove, 
where  she  sat  down  at  a  desk.  Keralio  looked  after 
her  with  undisguised  admiration  and  puffed  his 
cigar  in  silence  for  a  few  moments.  Then  he 
said: 

"It's  a  big  job  which  you  and  Traynor  are  doing 
out  there  in  South  Africa.  I  see  by  the  papers  that 
you've  already  made  some  valuable  finds." 

99 


THE    MASK 


He  appeared  unconcerned,  and  looked  narrowly 
at  his  vis  a  vis  to  see  what  effect  his  words  had  on 
him,  possibly  to  draw  him  out.  But  Mr.  Parker 
was  too  old  a  bird  to  be  caught  napping,  even  by 
a  clever  adventurer.  Instantly  on  his  guard,  he 
said  carelessly : 

"The  outlook  is  very  bright,  very  promising  in- 
deed. Our  stockholders  are  quite  satisfied,  and  it  is 
likely  that  we  shall  make  good  money.  But  of 
course  everything  is  in  the  experimental  stage  as 
yet." 

"But  you  have  found  diamonds — big  diamonds  ?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  replied  the  president  with  affected 
carelessness ;  "we  have  picked  up  a  few  stones.  As 
I  told  you,  the  prospects  are  very  promising." 

"But  haven't  you  recently  made  some  extraordi- 
nary finds?" 

Mr.  Parker  shook  his  head. 

"No — nothing  worth  mentioning." 

Keralio  smiled  skeptically. 

"Isn't  your  memory  somewhat  at  fault,  cher 
monsieur?  Surely  you  haven't  forgotten  the  two 
stones  of  enormous  size  just  picked  up — finds  of 

100 


THE    MASK 


sensational  importance.  The  newspapers  have  been 
full  of  the  story." 

Mr.  Parker  made  a  deprecatory  gesture. 

"Pshaw!  My  dear  sir,  you  ought  to  know  what 
newspaper  talk  is  worth!  No  yarn  is  too  fantastic 
to  print  so  long  as  it  sells  their  papers.  We  found 
two  stones  of  fair  size,  it  is  true,  but  to  say  that 
they  are  of  priceless  value  is  a  gross  exaggera- 
tion." 

The  Italian  eyed  his  companion  closely.  Signifi- 
cantly he  said: 

"They're  valuable  enough,  however,  to  justify 
you  in  refusing  to  trust  their  shipment  to  ordinary 
channels  and  in  going  to  the  expense  of  sending  to 
South  Africa  one  of  your  officers  to  whom  is  con- 
fided the  task  of  bringing  the  gems  home." 

"How  did  you  know  that?"  demanded  Mr. 
Parker,  surprised. 

"There  is  very  little  I  do  not  know,"  smiled 
Keralio  ironically,  as  he  blew  a  ring  of  cigar  smoke 
up  to  the  ceiling. 

His  curiosity  aroused,  the  president  of  the  A.  A. 
M.  Co.  was  about  to  question  his  companion  far- 

101 


ther,  but  at  that  moment  Helen  rose  from  the  desk 
and  came  toward  them. 

"I'm  not  in  the  humor  to  write  now,"  she  said. 
"I'd  rather  talk."  Sitting  in  a  chair  near  them,  she 
added  quickly:  "Won't  you  let  me  get  you  some 
tea?" 

Both  men  shook  their  heads.  Mr.  Parker  rose. 
With  a  mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eye,  he  said : 

"I'll  go  over  to  the  others  and  take  a  hand  at 
bridge.  I  want  to  make  some  money,  Signer — I'll 
leave  you  to  entertain  Mrs.  Traynor." 

With  a  courteous  salutation  to  his  hostess,  a 
graceful  act  of  chivalrous  politeness  of  which  he 
was  a  past  master,  Mr.  Parker  crossed  the  room 
in  the  direction  of  the  card  table. 


102 


CHAPTER  VI 

AN  awkward  silence  followed  the  president's 
departure.  Helen  would  have  detained 
him  had  she  dared.  Being  alone  with 
Keralio  was  very  distasteful  to  her.  Ill  at  ease 
in  such  close  proximity  to  this  man,  whom  she 
feared  even  more  than  she  disliked,  she  sat  still 
without  saying  a  word.  Presently  between  puffs  of 
his  cigar,  he  said: 

"You  really  don't  mind  my  smoking?" 

"Oh,  not  at  all." 

He  bowed  and  again  relapsed  into  silence.  She 
looked  at  him  sideways  and  wondered  why  this  for- 
eigner had  always  inspired  her  with  such  dislike. 
His  manner  was  courteous,  and  he  was  decidedly 
handsome.  He  had  white  teeth  and  fine  eyes.  They 
were  bold  eyes,  but  so  were  the  eyes  of  other  men. 
fThey  had  a  habit  of  looking  a  woman  through 
and  through.  She  always  felt  embarrassed  under 
his  close  scrutiny.  It  seemed  to  her  as  if  he  were 

103 


THE    MASK 


undressing  her  mentally  and  took  pleasure  in  sur- 
veying critically  and  admirably  every  part  of  her 
as  a  connoisseur  examines  a  statue.  She  had  an 
uncomfortable  feeling  when  near  him.  She  was 
afraid  to  look  straight  in  his  eyes,  afraid  that  pos- 
sibly he  might  be  able  to  throw  some  spell  over 
her,  exert  some  hypnotic  influence  that  she  would 
not  be  able  to  resist.  She  considered  him  a  seduc- 
tive, dangerous  man,  the  kind  of  man  every  pure 
woman,  every  wife  who  wishes  to  remain  faithful 
to  her  marriage  vows  should  avoid. 

Suddenly  while  she  was  looking  at  him,  he  turned 
his  head  toward  her.  Before  she  could  prevent  it 
their  eyes  met. 

He  did  not  avert  his  gaze,  but  kept  his  eyes  fixed 
on  hers  as  if  trying  to  awaken  in  her  some  of  his 
own  ardor.  She  tried  to  look  away,  but  she  could 
not.  He  seemed  to  hold  her  there  by  sheer  force  of 
will  power.  Frightened,  she  started  to  tremble  in 
every  limb.  Yet,  to  her  astonishment,  she  had  no 
feeling  of  anger  or  resentment.  It  seemed  quite 
natural  that  this  man  should  gaze  at  her  in  this 
intimate,  caressing  way.  She  found  herself  taking 

104 


THE    MASK 


pleasure  in  it.  Her  vanity  was  gratified.  If  he 
looked  at  her  so  persistently,  it  must  be  that  he 
thought  her  pretty.  Her  face  began  to  burn,  her 
bosom  heaved,  a  strange  sensation  that  heretofore 
only  her  husband  had  been  able  to  arouse,  came 
over  her.  And  still  his  eyes  were  on  hers,  caressing, 
voluptuous. 

At  the  other  end  of  this  room  the  game  of  bridge 
was  still  in  progress.  Ray  was  winning,  as  usual, 
and  amusing  the  men  with  her  wit  and  vivacious- 
ness.  Mr.  Steell  had  glanced  over  in  their  direction 
several  times,  and  he  saw  enough  to  convince  him 
that  the  attentions  of  the  fencing  master  were  un- 
welcome to  their  hostess.  Had  he  caught  Helen's 
eye,  had  she  made  the  slightest  sign  that  she  was 
being  annoyed,  he  would  have  instantly  left  the 
game  and  gone  over  to  the  window,  if  only  to  break 
up  the  tete-a-tete,  but  she  did  not  once  look  up. 
Suddenly  he  remembered  what  had  been  suggested 
on  the  boat.  It  was  an  idea.  Ray  at  that  moment 
got  up  to  get  some  tea,  and,  profiting  by  the  oppor- 
tunity, the  lawyer  leaned  over  and  whispered : 

"Say,  Dick,  you  see  that  chap  over  there." 
105 


THE    MASK 


The  young  man  looked  up. 

"Who— the  signor?" 

"Yes.    What  do  you  know  about  him  ?" 

"Nothing  good — although  nothing  very  bad  for 
that  matter.  He's  a  dark  horse — keeps  pretty  much 
to  himself.  He's  well  known  in  the  gay  resorts, 
in  the  gambling  houses  and  where  they  play  the 
ponies." 

"What's  his  reputation?" 

"He's  known  as  a  liberal  spender.  He's  always 
flashing  big  rolls  of  money " 

"Where  does  he  get  it — not  from  the  fencing 
school?" 

"No — that's  only  a  blind." 

The  lawyer  lowered  his  voice. 

"Dick,  my  boy,  that  fellow  will  bear  watching, 
and  you're  the  man  to  do  it." 

"You  want  him  shadowed  ?" 

"Yes — find  out  where  he  goes,  who  he  knows. 
My  opinion  is  that  he  belongs  to  an  international 
band  of  crooks — possibly  counterfeiters,  smugglers, 
or  blackmailers.  If  you  land  him  behind  the  bars 
you'll  deserve  well  of  your  country." 

106 


THE    MASK 


Dick  glanced  once  or  twice  in  the  direction  of  the 
object  of  their  conversation,  who,  quite  unconscious 
of  their  scrutiny,  was  still  talking  earnestly  to 
Helen.  The  young  man  smiled,  his  chest  expanded 
with  satisfaction,  and  grimly  he  said : 

"Leave  him  to  me." 

Quite  unconscious  of  the  attention  he  attracted, 
the  Italian  turned  to  Helen. 

"You  miss  your  husband  very  much?" 

"Yes— terribly." 

"It  must  be  lonely  for  you." 

"It  is,"  she  sighed. 

"Yet  you  have  your  sister." 

"Can  a  sister  replace  a  husband  ?" 

He  gave  a  low,  musical  laugh. 

"No — not  a  sister.    A  lover  is  preferable." 

Quickly  she  retorted : 

"My  husband  is  my  lover — my  lover  is  my  hus- 
band." 

He  laughed,  as  he  said : 

"It  sounds  very  pretty,  but  you  must  admit  that 

it  is  rather  banal." 
/ 

"In  what  way?" 

107 


THE    MASK 


He  flecked  the  ash  from  his  cigar. 

"You  are  too  pretty,  too  charming  a  woman  to 
be  commonplace.  Really  it  spoils  you " 

Ignoring  his  compliments,  she  persisted. 

"Do  you  mean  I  am  commonplace  because  I  call 
Kenneth  my  lover.  What  other  lover  should  I  or 
any  other  woman  happily  married  have?  I  am 
faithful  to  him — he  is  loyal  to  me." 

He  gave  a  little  mocking  laugh,  and  was  silent. 
How  she  hated  him  for  that  laugh !  After  a  pause 
he  said  quietly  and  suggestively: 

"I  am  sure  you  are  faithful  to  him " 

For  a  moment  she  looked  at  him  without  speak- 
ing, eager  to  resent  the  implied  imputation  on  her 
husband,  yet  unwilling  to  give  the  slanderer  the  sat- 
isfaction of  seeing  that  his  thrust  had  carried 
home.  Concealing  as  best  she  could  her  growing 
irritation,  she  said  calmly : 

"Don't  you  suppose  he  also  is  faithful  to  me?" 

Again  that  horrible,  cynical  smile.  Fixing 
her  with  his  piercing  dark  eyes,  and,  in  a  man- 
ner, the  significance  of  which  could  not  escape 
her,  he  said: 

108 


THE    MASK 


"Don't  seek  to  know  too  much,  Madam.  To 
paraphrase  a  famous  saying:  'It's  a  wise  woman 
who  knows  her  own  husband.' ' 

Coloring  with  anger,  she  said : 

"You  mean " 

"Just  what  I  say — that  a  woman,  a  wife  cannot 
possibly  be  sure  of  her  husband's  fidelity.  Think 
how  different  are  the  conditions.  The  wife,  no  mat- 
ter if  her  temperament  be  warm  or  cold,  is  always 
at  home,  surrounded  by  prying  eyes,  rarely  beset 
by  temptation.  The  husband  is  often  away,  he 
goes  on  business  journeys  that  free  him  temporarily 
from  the  chains  which  keep  him  in  good  behavior. 
If  he  is  good  looking,  the  women  look  at  him,  flirt 
with  him.  It  is  inevitable.  The  chances  are  that 
he  succumbs  to  the  first  adventure — no  matter  how 
exemplary  a  husband  he  may  be  at  home.  If  he  is 
a  man — of  unusual  character,  he  passes  through  the 
fire  unscathed;  if  he  is — just  a  man,  he  is  attracted 
to  the  candle  like  the  proverbial  moth  and  some- 
times singes  his  wings " 

She  looked  at  him  keenly  for  a  moment  as  if  try- 
ing to  read  on  his  sphinx-like  face  if  he  knew  more 

109 


THE    MASK 


about  Kenenth  than  he  admitted,  and  then  with 
forced  calmness  she  said: 

"In  your  opinion,  Signer  Keralio — is  my  husband 
a  man — of  unusual  character,  or  is  he — just  a 
man?" 

The  Italian  shrugged  his  shoulders  as  he  replied 
deprecatingly : 

"My  dear  madam,  just  stop  and  think  a  moment. 
Isn't  that  a  rather  indiscreet  question  to  put  to  a 
man — a  man  who  is  a  friend  of  your  husband " 

Hotly  she  turned  on  him. 

"If  you  are  his  friend,  why  do  you  vilify  and 
slander  him  behind  his  back?" 

Keralio  lifted  up  his  long  slender  hands  in  pious 
protest. 

"I  vilify — my  best  friend Oh,  my  dear  Mrs. 

Traynor — you  have  quite  misunderstood  me.  I  am 
a  foreigner.  Perhaps  it  is  that  I  express  myself 
ill." 

She  shook  her  head  skeptically.    Firmly  she  said : 

"No,  Signor  Keralio — you  express  yourself  quite 
plainly.  Now,  I'll  be  equally  frank  with  you.  I 
confess  there  is  one  thing  I  do  not  understand.  I 

no 


THE    MASK 


have  never  understood  it.  I  do  not  understand  why 
my  husband,  a  man  so  honorable,  so  straightfor- 
ward in  his  dealings,  a  man  so  free  from  intrigue 
or  reckless  adventures,  so  regular,  methodical  and 
temperate  in  his  habits,  a  man  so  entirely  apart 
from  the  reckless,  immoral  kind  of  life  you  hint  at, 

should  have  made  a  friend  of  you " 

The  Italian  raised  his  eyebrows,  but  there  was 
only  an  amused  smile  on  his  bloodless  lips  as  he 
said  with  a  mock  bow : 

"Thank  you,  madam.    You  are  very  flattering." 
"No — I  mean  it.     I  don't  want  to  seem  unkind, 
but  your  temperament  and  my  husband's  are  as  wide 
apart  as  the  poles." 

He  opened  wide  his  eyes  as  he  asked, 
"In  what  particular,  s'il  vous  plait?" 
"Kenneth  is  frank,  outspoken.     He  is  not  the 
type  of  man  who  takes  rash  risks.    He  is  very  con- 
servative, scrupulously  honest.    He  has  fine  ideals. 

While  you " 

He  laughed  loudly. 

"I?  I  am  secretive,  cunning,  reckless,  material- 
istic— is  that  it,  madam?" 

in 


THE    MASK 


"I  did  not  say  so,  but  since  you  draw  your  por- 
trait so  well " 

He  bit  his  lip.  This  girl  with  the  flaxen  hair  and 
large  lustrous  eyes  was  more  than  a  match  for  him 
in  a  battle  of  wits.  He  was  making  no  headway  at 
all.  It  was  time  to  play  his  trump  card.  Softly 
he  said: 

"You  said  your  husband  was  judicious,  conserva- 
tive  " 

"So  he  is." 

"That  is  a  matter  of  opinion.  Some  might  think 
otherwise.  Of  course,  it  is  difficult  for  a  woman 
when  she  is  blinded  by  love " 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  that  your  husband  is  far  from  being  the 
conservative,  a f raid-to-take-risks  type  of  man  you 
picture  him.  You  women  think  you  know  your 
husbands.  You  know  only  such  part  of  them  as 
they  themselves  care  to  reveal.  Perhaps  if  you 
knew  to  what  extent  your  husband  was  involved  in 
Wall  Street,  it  would  surprise  you!  Oh,  every- 
thing is  perfectly  regular,  of  course.  As  treasurer 
of  the  Americo-African  Mining  Company,  he  has 

112 


THE    MASK 


at  his  disposal  large  sums  of  money,  He  is  also 
trustee  of  several  large  and  valuable  estates.  All 
of  this  money  he  is  supposed  to  invest — conserva- 
tively. He  certainly  invests  it.  Whether  conserva- 
tively or  not,  I  leave  others  to  judge." 

"Do  you  mean  that  he  is  using  other  people's 
money  in  Wall  Street?" 

"I  mean,  my  dear  lady,  that  he  has  the  get-rich- 
quick  fever.  He  has  a  rage  for  stock  gambling — 
he  is  already  heavily  involved.  I  have  often 
warned  him  to  go  slower,  to  be  more  prudent,  but 
he  won't  heed  my  counsel.  You  know,  he  is  very 
headstrong — your  husband.  As  long  as  everything 
goes  well  he  is  all  right.  If  anything  goes  wrong, 
he  might  find  himself  in  an  unpleasant  predicament. 
Hasn't  he  spoken  to  you  of  these  matters?  Why 
should  he  worry  you?  It  is  as  I  told  you.  Hus- 
bands don't  tell  their  wives  everything — God  for- 
bid!" 

Helen  raised  her  hand.  There  was  the  ring  of 
scorn  in  her  voice  as  she  exclaimed : 

"Don't  blaspheme,  Signor  Keralio.  It  sounds  in- 
congruous to  hear  the  name  of  the  Almighty  on  the 

"3 


lips  of  a  man  of  your  opinions  and  tastes.  You 
think  you  live,  but  you  don't.  You  go  through  life 
seeking  only  to  gratify  your  appetites,  attracted 
only  by  material  sensual  pleasures.  You  ignore  the 
best  part  of  life — the  pursuit  of  an  ideal,  a  noble 
ambition,  unselfishness,  self-sacrifice.  Really, 
Signer,  I  pity  you — with  all  my  heart." 

He  made  no  answer,  but  sat  in  silence  watching 
her.  Presently  he  said : 

"Mrs.  Traynor — do  you  know  that  you  are  an 
extraordinary  woman?" 

"In  what  way?"  she  demanded,  elevating  her 
eyebrows  in  surprise. 

"You  are  either  the  cleverest  or  the  most  unso- 
phisticated woman  I  have  ever  met.  You  are  at- 
tractive enough  to  send  a  saint  to  perdition,  yet  you 
are  quite  indifferent  to  the  power  of  your  beauty 
and  the  tumult  it  arouses  in  the  men  who  chance  to 
cross  your  path.  You  seem  to  be  absolutely  with- 
out feeling.  Yet  I  don't  believe  you  devoid  of  tem- 
perament. I  think  I  know  women.  I  have  met  a 
good  many.  You  do  not  belong  to  the  type  of  cold, 
passionless  women." 

114 


THE    MASK 


Again  his  eyes  sought  hers  and  found  them. 
Again  she  tried  to  avoid  his  gaze  and  could  not. 
There  was  something  in  his  manner,  his  gestures, 
the  tone  of  his  voice,  that  conveyed  to  her  more  his 
real  meaning  than  his  actual  words,  yet,  to  her  sur- 
prise, she  was  not  aroused  to  anger.  Sure  of  her- 
self, she  found  herself  listening,  wondering  what 
he  would  say  next,  ready  to  flee  at  the  first  warning 
of  peril,  but  playing  a  dangerous  game  like  the 
moth  in  the  flame.  As  she  sat  back  on  the  sofa, 
her  head  in  the  sofa  cushions,  he  leaned  nearer  to 
her,  and  in  those  low,  musical  tones  which  held  her 
under  a  kind  of  spell,  he  murmured : 

"You  are  the  cleverest  woman  I  ever  met." 
She  smiled  in  spite  of  herself,  and  he,  mistaking 
the  motive,  thought  she  intended  it  as  an  encourage- 
ment. He  glanced  round  to  see  if  anyone  was 
watching  them,  but  Mr.  Parker  was  peacefully  doz- 
ing in  a  deep  armchair  a  dozen  yards  away,  and  at 
the  far  end  of  the  room  Ray,  Steell  and  Reynolds 
were  engrossed  in  an  exciting  game  of  cards. 
Leaning  quickly  over,  he  seized  her  hand.  His 
voice  vibrating  with  passion,  he  said : 


THE    MASK 


"Not  only  the  cleverest,  but  the  most  desirable 
of  women.  Don't  you  see  that  you've  set  me  afire  ? 
I'm  mad  for  you !  Helen — I  want  you !" 

For  a  moment  she  was  too  stunned  by  his  inso- 
lent daring  to  withdraw  her  hand,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  press  in  his.  His  eyes  flashing,  he  went 
on: 

"Haven't  you  seen  all  along  that  I  love  you — des- 
perately, passionately.  You've  set  me  afire.  I'm 
mad  for  you.  Let  me  awaken  that  love  that's  in 
your  breast,  but  which  your  husband  has  never 
awakened.  Let  me " 

He  did  not  finish,  for  that  moment  a  small,  jew- 
eled hand,  suddenly  torn  from  his  grasp,  struck  him 
full  on  the  mouth.  Rising  and  trying  with  difficulty 
to  control  the  emotion  in  her  voice,  she  said  quickly : 

"You'd  better  go  now — so  as  to  prevent  a  scan- 
dal. If  they  knew,  it  might  be  awkward  for  you. 
Of  course,  you  must  never  come  here  again." 

That  was  all.  She  swept  away  from  him  with 
the  dignity  of  an  offended  queen.  The  silence  was 
deadly.  All  one  heard  was  the  silk  rustle  of  her 
gown  as  she  moved  across  the  floor. 

116 


THE    MASK 


"It's  my  say,"  exclaimed  Ray. 

"I  lead  with  trumps,"  said  Steell. 

"Signer  Keralio  has  to  go.    Isn't  it  too  bad!" 

Mr.  Steell  and  Dick  rose  and  bowed  politely. 

There  was  nothing  to  be  done.  He  was  ig- 
nominously  dismissed  like  a  lackey  caught  pilfer- 
ing. But  there  was  black  wrath  in  his  heart  as  he 
picked  himself  up,  and  turning  to  the  others,  he 
bowed  and  said: 

"Good  night." 


117 


CHAPTER  VII 

DAWN  broke  over  the  desert  region  of  the 
Kalihari.  The  gray  mists  of  the  South 
African  night  slowly  dissolved  on  the  ap- 
proach of  the  rising  sun,  until  the  crimson  glow 
of  the  coming  day,  spreading  high  in  the  east- 
ern heavens,  tipped  with  gold  the  snow-clad  peaks 
of  the  Drachenberg,  and  then,  swiftly  inundating 
the  valley  like  a  flood,  chased  away  the  shadows  and 
filled  the  undulating  plains  with  warmth  and  light. 
Stretched  out  near  the  flickering  embers  of  an  ex- 
piring camp  fire,  not  half  a  day's  trek  from  the  Vaal 
River,  lay  what,  at  first  view,  appeared  to  be  bun- 
dles of  rags.  A  closer  inspection  showed  them  to 
be  the  prostrate  forms  of  two  men,  asleep.  Hud- 
dled close  together,  as  if  seeking  all  possible  pro- 
tection from  the  keen  air  of  the  open  veldt,  they 
appeared  grateful  even  for  the  little  warmth  that 
still  came  from  the  dying  fire.  Every  now  and 
again  a  tiny  flame,  bursting  from  one  of  the  smoul- 

118 


THE    MASK 


dering  logs,  would  light  up  the  recumbent  figures, 
revealing  a  brief  glimpse  of  the  sleepers. 

Both  bore  traces  of  desperate  need.  The  rags 
they  wore  were  filthy,  and  gave  only  scant  protec- 
tion from  the  weather,  their  emaciated  faces  and 
hollowed  cheeks  told  eloquently  of  many  days  of 
fatigue  and  hunger;  their  feet,  long  since  without 
shoes,  were  clumsily  protected  from  the  rocky  veldt 
by  pieces  of  coarse  sacking.  For  weeks  they  had 
tramped  across  the  great,  merciless  desert,  guided 
only  by  the  stars,  often  losing  the  trail,  begging 
their  way  from  farm  to  farm,  glad  to  do  little  jobs 
for  friendly  Boers  in  return  for  a  meal,  always  in 
peril  of  attack  by  hostile  Kaffirs,  yet  never  halting, 
trudging  ever  onward  in  their  anxiety  to  reach  the 
coast.  That  was  the  haven  they  painfully  sought — 
the  open  sea  where  at  least  there  was  a  chance  to 
die  among  their  fellows  and  not  perish  miserably 
like  dogs  on  the  lonely,  God-forsaken  plains,  with 
only  the  howling  jackal  and  the  screaming  vulture 
to  pick  their  bones. 

They  had  tried  and  they  had  lost  in  the  great 
gamble.  Like  thousands  of  other  reckless  adven- 

119 


THE    MASK 


turers  attracted  to  the  newly  discovered  diamond 
country,  they  had  rushed  out  there  from  England, 
confident  that  they,  too,  could  wrest  from  nature 
that  wonderful  gem,  ever  associated  with  tragedy 
and  romance,  mystery  and  crime,  for  the  possession 
of  which,  since  history  began,  men  have  been  ready 
to  give  up  their  lives.  Confident  of  their  success, 
they  had  risked  all  on  a  turn  of  the  wheel,  and  For- 
tune, mocking  their  puny  efforts,  had  first  ruined 
and  then  degraded  them,  afterward  sending  them 
back  home  to  die. 

It  was  now  quite  light.  The  fire,  which  had 
flickered  up  fitfully  at  intervals,  was  entirely  extin- 
guished. A  chilly  wind  had  started  to  blow  from 
the  plateau  on  the  north.  The  strangers  stirred  un- 
easily in  their  sleep  and  awoke  almost  simultane- 
ously. Sitting  up  with  a  start,  they  yawned  and 
rubbed  their  eyes. 

"What  show  o'  gettin'  some  breakfast,  Hand- 
some?" asked  the  smaller  of  the  two. 

"Damned  little!"  was  the  profane  and  laconic  re- 
joinder. 

They  were  men  still  in  the  early  thirties.     One 

120 


run  MASK 


was  short  and  stocky,  his  face  slightly  pock-marked. 
Pictures  of  a  mermaid  and  anchor  clumsily  tattooed 
in  indigo  on  his  wrist  showed  him  to  be  a  sailor.  In 
fact,  Dick  Hickey,  boatswain  on  H.  H.  S.  Tartar, 
having  taken  French  leave  of  his  ship,  as  she  lay 
in  Cape  Town  Harbor,  ran  a  very  good  chance  of 
being  taken  back  to  England  in  irons  as  a  deserter. 
Just  now  he  was  serenely  indifferent  as  to  what 
happened  to  him.  Half  dead  from  exposure  and 
lack  of  nourishment,  he  would  have  gladly  wel- 
comed ship's  officers  or  anybody  else  so  long  as 
there  was  some  relief  from  his  present  sufferings. 
Meantime  he  spent  what  little  breath  he  had  left  in 
cursing  his  hard  luck,  and  blaming  his  companion 
as  being  solely  responsible  for  his  misfortune. 

The  latter  was  some  few  years  his  senior,  stal- 
wart and  clean-limbed.  He  appeared  to  be  over 
six  feet  in  height  and  a  man  of  splendid  physique. 
At  first  glance  it  was  evident  that  he  came  of  su- 
perior stock.  His  shapely  hands  were  grimy,  his 
eyes  of  a  peculiarly  light  shade  of  blue  were  hollow 
and  haggard  looking.  His  face,  emaciated  and 
ghastly,  was  almost  livid.  A  clean-cut  chin  was 

121 


THE    MASK 


covered  with  several  weeks'  growth  of  beard.  Yet, 
underneath  all  these  repellant  externals,  there  was 
in  his  every  attitude  that  indefinable  refinement  of 
manner  which  the  world  always  associates  with  a 
gentleman.  His  dark  hair,  disheveled  and  matted, 
was  unusually  thick  and  bushy,  with  the  exception 
of  one  spot,  in  the  center  of  his  forehead,  where 
there  was  a  single  white  lock,  a  capillary  phenome- 
non, which  imparted  at  once  to  his  face  from  its 
very  unusualness  an  individuality  quite  its  own. 

No  one  knew  who  he  was  or  where  he  came 
from.  They  called  him  "Handsome  Jack,"  partly 
because  of  his  good  looks  and  also  on  account  of 
his  reckless  liberality  with  his  cronies  when  flush. 
What  his  real  name  was  no  one  knew  or  cared.  It 
was  a  time  when  no  one  asked  questions.  As  soon 
as  the  news  of  the  astonishing  diamond  discoveries 
reached  Europe,  men  began  to  flock  to  South 
Africa.  Adventurers  from  all  over  the  world 
gathered  in  Cape  Town,  a  motley  crew  of  incom- 
petents and  blacklegs,  an  investigation  into  the  ante- 
cedents of  any  of  whom  was  apt  to  have  unpleas- 
ant results.  That  he  was  a  professional  gambler, 

122 


THE    MASK 


he  made  no  attempt  to  conceal,  and  that  he  had 
knocked  about  the  world  a  good  deal  was  also  to  be 
inferred  from  his  wide  knowledge  of  men  and 
places.  A  man  of  aggressive,  domineering  person- 
ality, he  was  not  without  a  certain  following,  at- 
tracted by  his  skill  with  cards  and  dice,  but  he  was 
more  feared  than  liked,  and  his  reputation  as  a 
dangerous  gunman  kept  inquisitive  strangers  at  a 
safe  distance.  He  was  well  known  in  every  den 
frequented  by  the  criminal  and  vicious,  and  it  was 
in  one  of  these  resorts  that  Hickey  had  met  him. 
The  sailor  had  lost  all  his  savings  at  faro.  Dead 
broke,  he  was  ready  for  anything  which  promised 
to  recoup  his  fortunes.  Handsome  Jack  laid  before 
him  a  scheme  which  would  make  them  both  rich 
beyond  the  dreams  of  avarice.  The  recent  discov- 
eries on  the  Vaal  had  startled  the  world.  A  native 
had  picked  up  a  stone  weighing  over  80  carats. 
They  might  be  equally  lucky.  All  that  was  needed 
was  pluck  and  patience.  The  plan  was  to  make  their 
way  as  best  they  could  to  the  Vaal  fields,  jump  a 
claim,  and  dig  for  diamonds. 

They  set  out  secretly,  avoiding  the  larger  cara- 
123 


THE    MASK 


vans,  making  the  long  trek  across  the  great  plateau, 
partly  by  ox  wagon,  partly  on  foot.  The  trail  led 
through  a  wild,  desolate  country,  and  gradually 
they  left  civilization  hundreds  of  miles  behind  them. 
As  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  in  every  direction  was 
a  monotonous  desert  of  stone  and  sand,  broken 
every  now  and  then  by  small  kopjies,  the  sides  and 
summits  of  which  were  sparsely  covered  with  thick 
brush  and  coarse  grass.  Scattered  here  and  there, 
some  twenty  miles  apart,  were  the  homesteads  of 
the  Boer  farmers  and  the  thatched  kraals  of  the 
dark-skinned  Kaffirs.  Over  this  lonely  waste  sheep 
and  cattle  wandered  undisturbed  by  springbok,  os- 
triches, crocodiles,  mountain  lions  and  other  wild 
animals. 

In  this  barren  spot  Nature  had  concealed  her 
treasures.  A  child's  cry  of  joy  over  a  pretty  pebble 
led  to  their  discovery.  The  little  son  of  a  Boer 
farmer  was  playing  one  day  in  the  fields  near  the 
homestead  when  his  eye  was  attracted  by  something 
glittering  at  his  feet.  Stooping,  he  picked  up  a 
stone  unlike  any  other  he  had  ever  seen.  Interested, 
he  began  to  look  for  others  and  found  a  number  of 

124 


THE    MASK 


them,  which  with  great  glee  he  carried  home  to 
show  his  mother.  The  worthy  woman  paid  little 
heed  to  what,  in  her  ignorance,  she  regarded  merely 
as  pretty  stones,  but  she  happened  to  speak  about 
them  to  a  neighboring  farmer,  who  asked  to  look  at 
them.  Already  tired  of  his  new  plaything,  the  child 
had  thrown  the  stones  away,  but  one  was  found  in 
the  field  close  by,  and  the  neighbor,  a  shrewd  Dutch- 
man, who  had  heard  of  certain  stones  picked  up  in 
that  locality  having  a  certain  value,  offered  to  buy 
it.  The  good  woman  laughed  at  the  idea  of  selling 
a  stone,  and  made  him  a  present  of  it.  The  farmer 
took  it  to  the  nearest  town,  where  experts  declared 
it  to  be  a  twenty-one  carat  diamond,  worth  $2,500. 
Round  the  world  the  telegraph  flashed  this  remark- 
able story,  and  the  rush  to  South  Africa  began. 
That  was  in  1870.  In  May  of  that  year  there  were 
about  a  hundred  men  at  the  diggings  in  the  Vaal 
fields.  Before  the  next  month  had  closed  there 
were  seven  hundred.  By  April  of  the  following 
year  five  thousand  men  were  digging  frantically  in 
the  mud  along  the  Vaal  and  Orange  rivers. 

It  was  a  rough,  lawless  gathering  of  men  of  every 
125 


THE    MASK 


nationality  under  the  sun,  the  criminal  and  the  vi- 
cious, the  idle  and  the  worthless.  The  region  being 
inside  the  border  lines  of  the  waste  territory  that 
lay  between  the  Boers  and  the  Hottentots,  it  was 
therefore  No  Man's  Land,  and  beyond  the  pale  of 
established  law  and  order.  The  miners,  compelled, 
in  self-protection,  to  institute  laws  of  their  own,  ap- 
pointed committees  to  issue  licenses,  keep  the  peace, 
and  punish  offenders.  Natives  were  whipped ;  white 
men  were  banished,  and  from  this  rough-and-ready 
justice  there  was  no  appeal. 

When  Handsome  and  Hickey  arrived  at  the  dig- 
gings, the  fever  was  still  at  its  height,  and  having 
secured  a  claim,  they  went  to  work  with  a  will. 
Claims  were  thirty  feet  square,  and  to  prevent  spec- 
ulation in  them  the  owner,  in  order  to  hold  title, 
was  compelled  to  toil  incessantly.  It  was  hard 
work,  harder  work  than  Handsome  had  ever  been 
put  to  in  all  his  life.  At  the  end  of  a  few  days, 
the  skin  was  scraped  off  his  hands  from  shoveling, 
and  he  had  such  a  kink  in  his  back  that  he  couldn't 
straighten  up.  But  he  had  come  to  stay,  and  a  little; 
discomfort  was  not  going  to  scare  him.  Their  im- 

126 


THE    MASK 


plements,  purchased  at  the  diggings,  consisted  of 
pick,  shovel  and  rocker,  this  last  being  a  box  ar- 
ranged on  rockers  like  a  baby's  cradle.  It  was  a 
clumsy  yet  useful  contrivance,  in  which  were  fas- 
tened, one  above  the  other,  wire  screens  of  varying 
fineness,  the  coarsest  being  on  top.  As  Handsome 
dug  the  yellow  earth  out  of  the  hole  he  shoveled  it 
into  the  top  screen.  When  it  was  full  Hickey 
poured  in  water  while  he  rocked.  The  water 
washed  the  dirt  through  the  holes,  leaving  the 
stones.  These  were  taken  out,  emptied  onto  a  sort- 
ing table,  where  Handsome  scraped  off  the  worth- 
less peddles,  saving  anything  that  seemed  of  value. 
As  a  rule,  and  much  to  Hickey's  disgust,  the  table 
was  scraped  clean.  Sometimes  the  sailor  would 
make  a  joyful  exclamation  on  seeing  some  glitter- 
ing pieces  of  rock  crystal,  thinking  he  had  found  a 
prize,  only  to  be  disappointed  a  moment  later  when 
a  more  experienced  miner  assured  him  it  was  worth- 
less. Both  soon  learned,  however,  to  recognize  at 
sight  the  precious  gems,  and,  although  few  came 
their  way,  they  saw  many  brought  to  the  surface 
by  luckier  neighbors.  One  day  sounds  of  great  re- 

127 


THE    MASK 


joicing  was  heard  in  their  tent.  They  had  worked 
hard  for  over  a  month  without  finding  anything, 
and  were  feeling  greatly  discouraged  and  dejected, 
when  all  at  once  something  happened.  Handsome 
had  been  rocking  the  cradle  in  a  listless  sort  of  way, 
and  Hickey  was  sorting  the  residue,  when  suddenly 
the  sailor  gave  a  wild  whoop  of  delight.  Darting 
forward,  he  held  up  a  glittering  stone.  Examina- 
tion proved  it  to  be  a  genuine  diamond,  weighing 
about  ten  carats,  and  valued  at  about  $1,000.  It 
was  not  much  of  a  find,  but  it  was  enough  to  turn 
their  heads.  Dropping  all  work,  they  both  pro- 
ceeded to  have  "a  good  time,"  going  on  a  drunken 
orgie,  which  lasted  just  as  long  as  the  money  held 
out.  When  they  came  to  their  senses  they  were 
worse  off  than  before.  Weakened  by  prolonged  de- 
bauch, they  were  in  no  mood  for  digging,  and  to 
complicate  matters  some  one  had  jumped  their 
claim  during  their  absence.  Even  their  tools  had 
disappeared.  Without  resource  or  credit,  they 
could  not  procure  others.  Yet  work  they  must  to 
keep  the  wolf  from  the  door,  so,  cursing  others 
when  they  had  only  themselves  to  blame,  Handsome 

128 


THE    'MASK 


secured  employment,  digging  for  another  miner, 
while  the  sailor  performed  such  occasional  odd  jobs 
as  he  could  pick  up. 

Broken  in  spirit,  enraged  at  the  long  spell  of  ill 
luck,  Handsome  began  to  drink  heavily.  Every 
cent  he  made  went  to  the  grog  shop,  and  Hickey, 
never  over  fond  of  work  at  any  time,  was  only  too 
glad  of  an  excuse  to  drink  with  him.  The  two 
cronies  filled  themselves  with  rum  until  their  reason 
tottered,  and  they  became  beasts,  refusing  to  work, 
growing  ugly,  even  menacing,  preferring  to  beg  the 
food  their  empty  stomachs  craved  for  rather  than 
toil,  as  before.  At  last  they  made  themselves  such 
a  nuisance  that  the  attention  of  the  vigilance  com- 
mittee was  called  to  their  particular  case.  In  short 
order  they  were  hauled  up  and  ordered  to  leave 
camp.  There  was  no  alternative  but  to  obey,  and 
thus  began  the  dreary  trek  homeward  of  the  two 
broken  and  miserable  outcasts. 

"We  cawn't  go  on  much  longer  like  this," 
moaned  Hickey. 

He  made  a  painful  effort  to  get  up,  but  his  joints, 
stiff  from  the  all-night  exposure,  refused  to  obey 

129 


THE    MASK 


his  will,  and  he  fell  back  with  a  groan.  Handsome, 
more  successful,  had  already  risen,  and  was  scan- 
ning the  horizon  on  every  side.  Except  for  the 
kopjies,  which  in  places  obstructed  the  view,  there 
was  a  clear  range  for  ten  miles  or  more.  If  any- 
thing alive  moved  within  the  field  of  vision,  they 
could  not  help  seeing  it,  but  nothing  greeted  their 
eyes.  There  was  neither  man  or  beast  to  be  seen; 
seemingly  they  were  still  many  weary  miles  from 
the  nearest  homestead. 

"We  must  go  on,"  replied  Handsome  deter- 
minedly. Impatiently  he  added:  "What  do  you 
want  to  do — stay  here  and  let  the  jackals  gnaw 
your  bones?" 

Hickey,  too  weak  to  argue,  shook  his  head  de- 
spondently. 

"You  go  on,  Handsome.  Leave  me  here.  I 
cawn't  go  any  further,  s'  help  me  Gawd !  My  feet 
hurt  somethin'  awful.  I'm  all  in.  If  ye  get  'ome 
safe,  go  and  see  the  old  folks,  will  ye,  and  tell  'em 
J  put  up  a  good  fight  ?" 

"Hell!"  retorted  the  other  savagely.  "Don't 
squat  there  crying  like  a  baby.  Be  a  man.  Get  up 

130 


THE    MASK 


and  let's  hike  it  to  the  nearest  homestead.  Shading 
his  eyes  as  he  gazed  earnestly  over  the  plain,  he 
added:  "I  see  smoke  in  the  distance.  It  can't  be 
far  off.  Come " 

Suddenly,  to  his  astonishment,  Hickey  leaped  to 
his  feet,  with  an  agility  unheard  of  in  one  so  nearly 
dying.  Pointing  to  the  nearest  kopjie,  he  shouted 
hoarsely : 

"Look!  There's  a  man — near  that  kopjie — he's 
coming  this  way !" 

It  was  no  dream.  A  man,  unarmed  and  unac- 
companied, was  advancing  toward  them.  From  his 
dress  and  manner,  it  was  easy  to  see  that  he  was 
not  a  Boer  farmer.  He  looked  more  like  an  Eng- 
lishman or  an  American. 

Scarcely  able  to  believe  the  evidence  of  his  own 
eyes,  Handsome  watched  his  progress. 

As  he  came  nearer,  he  waved  his  hand  to  show 
that  he  saw  them,  and  he  walked  faster,  as  if  afraid 
that  they  might  disappear  before  he  could  reach 
them.  Hickey,  unable  to  restrain  himself,  had  run 
forward,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  met. 

"Who  are  you?"  demanded  the  stranger,  whose 


THE    MASK 


face,  shaded  as  it  was  by  a  big  canvas  helmet,  it 
was  difficult  to  see. 

"Miners  from  the  Vaal,"  answered  Hickey. 
"Who  are  you?" 

"I  am  a  Frenchman — Frangois  Chalat.  I  am  ze 
valet  of  an  American  gentleman.  Our  party  not 
know  ze  road.  We  has  wandered  from  what  you 
call  ze  trail.  Will  you  show  ze  way  to  us?" 

"Where's  your  party?"  demanded  Hickey. 

Frangois  pointed  to  a  kopjie  about  three  miles 
distant. 

"There!    Behind  zat  hill." 

Just  at  that  moment,  Handsome  came  lum- 
bering up  almost  on  the  run,  anxious  to  know  what 
it  was  all  about. 

"Have  you  any  whiskey  ?"  was  his  first  breathless 
ejaculation.  "We're  starving." 

The  valet  made  no  answer.  He  was  too  startled 
to  speak.  Drawing  back  a  few  steps,  he  stared 
blankly  at  the  big  fellow.  For  several  minutes  he 
stood  as  if  struck  dumb.  Presently,  when  he  found 
his  speech,  he  asked  in  awed  tones : 

"Who  are  you  ?    What's  your  name  ?" 
132 


THE    MASK 


"What  business  is  it  of  yours?"  snapped  Hand- 
some, with  some  show  of  irritation.  "Have  you 
any  food  or  whiskey  ?  We're  starving." 

The  valet  made  no  answer,  but  just  stared  in 
astonished  silence  at  the  big  six-footer  who  towered 
above  him.  For  a  moment  he  had  thought  it  a  trick 
that  his  master  had  played  upon  him.  By  walking 
quickly  he  had  got  there  before  him,  and  dressed 
up  in  these  rags  just  to  have  fun  with  him.  But 
that  matted  hair  and  that  chin,  with  its  weeks  of 
growth  of  beard.  He  could  not  be  deceived  in  that. 
No,  this  man  was  not  his  employer.  Could  it  be 
possible,  was  it — his  twin  brother  long  since  given 
up  for  dead?  The  same  physique,  the  same  fea- 
tures, the  same  eyes,  the  same  thick,  bushy  hair  with 
the  single  lock  of  white  hair  in  the  center  of  the 
forehead.  There  was  no  room  for  doubt.  It  was 
his  employer's  brother.  It  was  just  as  well  to  make 
friends.  Drawing  a  flask  from  his  pocket  and  hold- 
ing it  out,  he  said : 

"Here,  take  a  drink.    You  need  it." 

Eagerly,  Handsome  snatched  it  out  of  his  hand. 

"You  bet  we  do." 

133 


THE    MASK 


He  took  a  deep  gulp  and  handed  it  to  Hickey, 
whose  bleary  eyes  had  watered  at  the  very  sight  of, 
the  flask.  Francois  turned  to  Handsome. 

"Where  is  ze  trail  ?"  he  asked. 

"Over  yonder,"  growled  the  big  fellow  in  surly 
tones  and  making  a  sweeping  gesture  with  his  arm 
which  embraced  every  quarter  of  the  compass. 

"Rather  indefinite,  I  should  say,"  smiled  the 
valet.  "Where  you  go?  Are  you  on  ze  way  to  ze 
mines  ?" 

Handsome  Jack  took  another  pull  at  the  flask. 
His  good  humor  returning  in  proportion  as  he  felt 
warmed  up  by  the  spirits,  he  said  more  amiably : 

"I  guess  not.  My  pal  and  I  have  enough  of  the 
cursed  place — ain't  we,  Hickey?" 

The  sailor  man  glanced  dolefully  at  his  limping 
foot,  and  nodded  his  head  in  acquiescence. 

"You  show  us  the  trail  home.  My  boss  is  very 
rich  man,"  interrupted  Frangois  quickly.  "He  pay 
anything." 

Handsome  pricked  up  his  ears. 

"Oh,  he's  rich,  is  he?" 

The  valet  laughed  as  he  replied : 
134 


THE    MASK 


"All  Americans  rich — tres  riches.  Did  you  ever 
hear  of  poor  Americans  ?" 

Hickey  took  another  drink  and  snickered.  Hand- 
some looked  thoughtful.  After  a  pause,  he  said : 

"What  your  boss'  name?" 

"Monsieur  Traynor  of  the  Americo- African 
Mining  Co." 

Handsome  started. 

"What?  Kenneth  Traynor,  of  the  Americo- 
African  Mining  Company — the  people  who  made 
those  sensational  finds." 

"Yes — he's  vice-president  of  the  company." 

Handsome  gave  a  low,  expressive  whistle. 

"He's  rich — all  right !  Do  you  know  what  those 
stones  are  worth?" 

"Over  a  million  dollairs." 

"And  he  came  out  here  to " 

The  valet  nodded. 

"Oui — zat's  it — to  get  ze  big  diamonds.  We're 
on  our  way  back  from  ze  mines  now.  He  has  ze 
stones  in  his  possession." 

"And  taking  them  to  New  York  ?"  gasped  Hand- 
some; "a  million  dollars'  worth?" 

135 


THE    MASK 


"Yes — taking  zem  to  New  York.  That's  what 
he  came  out  for.  We  want  to  reach  ze  coast  as 
soon  as  possible.  Again  I  ask,  Will  you  guide  us 
back  to  ze  trail?" 

For  a  few  moments  Handsome  made  no  answer. 
The  thoughtful  expression  on  his  pale,  care-worn 
face  showed  that  he  was  thinking  hard.  What 
was  passing  in  his  mind  no  one  knew,  but  what- 
ever it  was  it  caused  the  lines  about  his  strong 
mouth  to  tighten  and  the  steely  blue  eyes  to  flash. 
A  million  dollars  ?  God !  What  will  a  man  not  do 
for  a  million  dollars  ?  Turning  to  the  valet,  he  said 
hastily  : 

"Yes,  I'm  on.  Take  me  to  your  party.  I'll  show 
you  the  trail.  Quick,  lead  the  way." 


136 


CHAPTER  VIII 

TRAVELING  to  and  from  the  diamond 
fields  in  the  days  immediately  following 
the  first  rush  was  not  an  unmixed  joy. 
Express  wagons  drawn  by  eight  horses  or  mules 
and  running  from  Cape  Town  to  Klipdrift  once 
a  week  charged  passengers  sixty  dollars  a  head, 
the  journey  across  the  plains  taking  about  eight 
days.  Travelers  whose  business  was  so  urgent 
that  they  could  not  wait  for  the  regular  stage 
had  to  hire  a  team  of  their  own  at  a  much  higher 
expense. 

Kenneth  did  not  mind  the  cost,  if  only  he  was 
able  to  make  good  time.  The  trip  to  the  mines  had 
been  accomplished  without  mishap.  Everything 
had  gone  as  well  as  could  be  desired.  He  had  been 
successful  in  securing  valuable  land  options  for  the 
company,  and  at  last  the  two  precious  stones  were 
in  his  possession.  That  it  was  a  big  responsibility, 

137 


THE    MASK 


he  fully  realized.  The  very  knowledge  that  he  had 
on  his  person  gems  worth  over  a  million  dollars, 
and  this  in  a  wild,  uncivilized  country  where  at 
any  moment  he  might  be  followed,  ambushed  and 
killed,  and  no  one  the  wiser,  was  not  calculated  to 
calm  his  nerves.  But  Kenneth  Traynor  had  never 
known  the  meaning  of  the  word  fear.  He  was 
ready  for  any  emergency  and  he  went  about  un- 
armed, cool  and  unruffled.  From  his  demeanor  at 
least  no  one  could  guess  that  he  ever  gave  a  thought 
to  the  valuable  consignment  of  which  he  was  the 
guardian.  Of  course,  it  had  been  impossible  to 
keep  the  thing  secret.  Everybody  at  the  mines 
knew  he  had  come  out  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
the  big  stones  to  America.  Even  his  drivers  knew, 
and  so  did  Francois.  The  news  was  public  property 
and  was  eagerly  discussed  over  every  camp  fire  as 
one  of  the  sensations  of  the  day.  All  this  publicity 
did  not  tend  to  lessen  the  risk,  and  that  was  why 
he  was  so  anxious  to  reach  Cape  Town  without  the 
least  possible  delay.  He  had  timed  his  departure 
from  the  mines  so  as  to  just  catch  the  steamer  for 
England,  and  now,  after  all  his  trouble  and  careful 

138 


THE    MASK 


calculation,  the  fool  mule  drivers  had  gone  and  lost 
the  trail.  It  was  most  exasperating. 

The  wagon  had  come  to  a  halt  the  night  before 
under  shelter  of  a  fair-sized  kopjie.  The  mules, 
tormented  by  the  deadly  tetse  fly,  stood  whisking 
their  tails  and  biting  savagely  at  their  hereditary 
enemy;  the  drivers,  indifferent  and  stolid,  sat  on 
the  ground  smoking  their  pipes,  while  Kenneth, 
fuming  at  this  unlocked  for  mishap  which  threat- 
ened an  even  more  serious  delay,  strode  up  and 
down  the  veldt,  swearing  at  the  mules,  the  stolid 
drivers  and  everything  else  in  sight. 

Francois,  who  had  left  camp  for  assistance  long 
before  sunrise,  had  not  yet  returned.  Unless  help 
came  soon  they'd  be  held  there  another  night. 
There  was  no  use  trying  to  proceed  without  a 
guide,  for  they  might  find  themselves  going  round 
and  round  in  a  circle.  There  was  nothing  to  do 
but  wait  until  help  came. 

Sitting  down  on  the  stump  of  a  tree  near  the  fire, 
he  tried  to  possess  his  soul  in  patience  while  one 
of  the  teamsters,  who  also  officiated  as  cook,  bus- 
ied himself  getting  breakfast.  It  was  now  broad 

139 


THH    MASK 


daylight;  the  weather  clear  and  cold.  As  he  sat 
there  idly  and  smoked  reflectively,  his  thoughts 
wandered  homeward,  four  thousand  miles  across 
the  seas.  He  wondered  what  Helen  was  doing,  if 
little  Dorothy  was  well,  if  everything  was  all  right. 
Only  now  he  realized  what  the  word  home  meant 
to  him,  and  a  chill  ran  through  him  as  he  thought 
of  all  the  things  that  could  happen.  Yet  how  fool- 
ish it  was  to  worry.  What  could  happen?  Helen 
had  her  sister  constantly  with  her,  and  she  was  well 
looked  after  by  Mr.  Parker  and  Wilbur  Steell.  It 
was  absurd  to  have  any  anxiety  on  that  score.  Be- 
sides, if  anything  had  gone  wrong,  they  would  cer- 
tainly have  called  him.  He  had  had  several  letters 
from  Helen,  all  of  them  saying  she  and  baby  were 
well  and  waiting  eagerly  for  his  return.  Yes,  he 
would  soon  be  home  now.  In  another  two  days 
he  would  reach  Cape  Town.  From  there  to 
Southampton  was  only  a  fortnight's  sail,  and  in 
another  week  he  would  be  in  New  York. 

These  and  kindred  thoughts  of  home  ran 
through  his  mind  as  he  sat  before  the  camp  fire 
and  tranquilly  smoked  his  pipe.  The  drivers  were 

140 


THE    MASK 


busying  themselves  cleaning  the  harness,  the  mules 
were  docilely  browsing,  the  air  was  filled  by  a  fra- 
grant odor  of  coffee.  His  memories  went  back  to 
his  boyhood  days.  He  recalled  what  the  old  nurse 
had  told  him  about  a  twin  brother.  How  strange 
it  would  be  if  he  ever  turned  up.  Such  things 
were  possible,  of  course,  but  hardly  probable.  No, 
the  chances  were  that  he  was  dead.  If  he  had  lived, 
how  different  everything  might  have  been.  He 
would  have  inherited  half  their  father's  money. 
What  had  been  enough  to  start  one  so  well  in  life 
would  only  have  been  a  meagre  provision  for  two. 
Yet  it  might  have  been  an  advantage,  forced  him 
to  still  greater  effort.  He  might  have  got  even 
farther  than  he  had — who  knows? 

At  that  moment  his  reflections  were  interrupted 
by  the  sound  of  voices  in  the  distance.  He  heard 
some  one  running.  One  of  the  teamsters  came  up 
hurriedly  and  exclaimed  breathlessly: 

"He's  found  some  one,  sir;  he's  got  two  men 
with  him.  They're  coming  now." 

Kenneth  jumped  up  and,  shading  his  eyes,  looked 
out  across  the  yellow  waste  of  stones  and  gravel. 

141 


THE    MASK 


About  a  mile  away  he  saw  Francois,  accompanied 
by  two  strangers,  who  looked  like  miners.  They 
were  tattered  and  miserable  looking,  as  if  down  on 
their  luck.  One  of  them  was  limping  as  if  lame; 
the  other,  much  taller,  although  ragged  and  forlorn, 
had  a  soldierly  bearing  and  the  appearance  of 
a  gentleman.  The  valet,  who  had  been  walk- 
ing faster  than  his  companions,  came  up  at  that 
instant. 

"Who  have  you  got  there?"  demanded  Kenneth. 

"Two  miners,  monsieur.  I  found  zem  several 
miles  away  on  ze  veldt.  They  have  tramped  for 
days  without  food;  they  are  starving." 

"Do  they  know  the  trail?" 

"Yes,  monsieur.  Ze  big  man  knows  ze  trail. 
He  will  show  ze  way — for  a  consideration." 

"Good!  First  give  them  some  breakfast  and 
then  we'll  go." 

He  waved  his  hand  in  the  direction  of  the  cook's 
mess,  where  the  coffee  was  already  steaming  on  the 
fire,  and,  turning  away,  began  to  gather  his  things 
together,  preparatory  to  departure.  There  was  no 
reason  why  he  should  have  anything  to  say  to  the 

142 


THE    MASK 


the  strangers.  In  fact,  it  would  be  better  if  they 
did  not  see  him,  or  know  who  he  was.  It  was  pos- 
sible that  they  had  been  at  the  mines  when  he  ar- 
rived, in  which  case  they  would  instantly  recognize 
him  as  the  American  who  had  come  to  take  the  big 
diamonds  to  New  York.  Besides,  they  were  not 
particularly  attractive  objects.  What  did  their  ad- 
ventures and  mishaps  matter  to  him?  He  had 
troubles  of  his  own.  Frangois  could  look  after 
their  wants.  The  main  thing  was  to  find  the  trail 
and  get  started  back  toward  Cape  Town  as  soon  as 
possible.  When  the  strangers  had  been  fed  they 
would  set  out,  and,  the  trail  once  found,  he  would 
give  them  a  lift  on  their  way  and  a  few  sovereigns 
into  the  bargain.  That  would  more  than  compen- 
sate them  for  all  their  trouble. 

Meanwhile  he  thought  he  would  take  a  quiet 
walk.  His  legs  were  stiff  from  sitting  so  long.  A 
little  exercise  would  do  him  the  world  of  good.  So, 
without  a  word  to  anybody,  he  slipped  out  of  camp 
unobserved  and  started  off  at  a  brisk  gait. 

The  region  where  they  had  halted  seemed  to  be 
the  center  of  Nowhere,  a  land  where  had  reigned 

143 


THE    MASK 


for  all  time  the  abomination  of  desolation  spoken 
of  by  all  the  prophets.  Knocking  about  the  world, 
as  he  had  done  for  a  lifetime,  Kenneth  had  seen 
some  queer  spots  in  the  world,  but  never  had  he 
come  across  so  savagely  repellent  a  spot  as  this.  It 
was  Nature  in  her  harshest  mood — not  a  vestige  in 
any  direction  of  human  or  animal  life.  There  was 
not  a  farm,  not  a  Boer  or  Kaffir,  not  even  a  tree  to 
to  be  seen.  Nothing  in  every  direction  but  a 
monotonous  waste  of  yellow  sand,  rough  stones  and 
stunted  grass.  An  unnatural  stillness  filled  the  air, 
making  the  silence  oppressive,  and  uncanny.  The 
soil  was  so  poor  that  cultivation  was  impossible. 
The  ground,  strewn  with  broken  rocks  and  sharp 
stones  which  cut  the  shoes  and  hurt  the  feet,  sug- 
gested that  in  prehistoric  times  the  plateau  had  been 
swept  by  a  volcanic  tempest.  The  slopes  of  the 
few  scattered  kopjies  were  sparsely  covered  with 
verdure  and  as  he  strode  along,  he  passed  here  and 
there  clumps  of  trees,  veritable  oases  in  the  desert, 
or  deep  water  holes  under  overhanging  rocks  where 
under  cover  of  night,  strange  beasts  came  to  drink. 
Apart  from  these  few  oases,  it  was  a  dreary  monot- 

144 


THE    MASK 


onous  waste  of  rock  and  sand,  where  neither  beast 
or  man  could  find  food  or  shelter. 

He  had  walked  about  three  miles  and  was  just 
passing  a  kopjie  where  a  group  of  stunted  trees 
offered  a  little  shelter  from  the  glare  of  the  sun  on 
the  yellow  gravel  when  he  began  to  feel  tired.  Sit- 
ting down  on  a  decayed  tree  stump,  he  took  out  his 
pipe,  removed  his  helmet,  and  laying  lazily  back, 
closed  his  eyes,  a  favorite  trick  of  his  when  he 
wished  to  concentrate  his  thoughts. 

The  trip,  tiresome  as  it  was,  had  certainly  been 
worth  while.  His  ambitious  dreams  had  been  more 
than  realized.  He  could  scarcely  wait  for  his  arri- 
val to  tell  Helen  the  good  news.  He  had  secured 
signatures  to  a  plan  of  consolidation  of  practically 
all  the  mining  companies  operating  in  South  Africa. 
Until  now,  these  companies  had  been  engaged  in  a 
fierce  and  disastrous  competition,  which  cut  into 
each  other's  profits  and  cheapened  the  market  price 
of  stones.  He  had  suggested  a  scheme  of  amalga- 
mation which  would  put  all  the  mines  under  one 
management,  and  fix  arbitrary  prices  for  diamonds 
which  henceforth  could  not  be  sold  under  a  certain 

MS 


THE    MASK 


figure  agreed  upon  by  the  Syndicate.  This  plan, 
which  had  the  general  approval  of  the  mining  com- 
panies, practically  gave  Kenneth  Traynor  control 
of  the  diamond  industry  of  the  world,  an  industry 
which  in  South  Africa  alone  had  already  produced 
100,000,000  carats  estimated  to  be  worth  $750,- 
000,000.  Overnight,  Kenneth  found  himself  many 
times  a  millionaire. 

It  had  come  at  last — what  he  waited  for  all  these 
years.  This  new  consolidation  deal  meant  great 
wealth  to  its  promoters.  What  would  he  do  with 
it?  Most  men  need  only  enough  for  their  actual 
needs,  but  he  had  higher  aims.  An  ardent  socialist 
he  would  use  his  money  for  the  cause.  Not,  how- 
ever, in  the  way  others  did,  but  to  buy  influence, 
power.  He  would  fight  Capitalism,  in  his  own  way. 
He  would  go  into  politics,  run  for  public  office,  try 
and  remedy  some  of  the  economic  abuses  from 
which  people  of  the  United  States  were  now  suffer- 
ing. He  would  wage  warfare  on  the  high  cost  of 
living,  on  Greed  and  Graft.  He  would  attack  the 
Plutocracy  in  its  stronghold,  lay  bare  the  inner 
workings  of  the  System,  the  concentration  of  the 

146 


THH    MASK 


wealth  of  the  entire  country  in  the  hands  of  a  few, 
by  which  the  rich  each  year  were  becoming  richer 
and  the  poor  each  year  poorer.  It  would  not  be 
the  first  time  a  multi-millionaire  had  espoused  the 
cause  of  the  proletariat,  but  he  would  carry  on  the 
fight  more  vigorously  than  anyone  had  done.  He 
would  force  an  issue,  make  Greed  disgorge  its  ill- 
gotten  gains  and  accord  to  Labor  its  rightful  place 
in  the  sun,  its  proper  share  of  the  world's  produc- 
tion of  wealth.  His  sympathies  in  the  bitter 
struggle  between  the  capitalists  and  the  wage 
earners  were  wholly  with  the  people  who  under  the 
present  wage  system,  had  little  chance  to  raise 
themselves  from  the  mire.  But  he  was  intelligent 
enough  to  realize  that  the  faults  were  not  all  on 
the  side  of  Capital.  Labor,  too,  needed  the  curb 
at  times.  Too  ready  to  listen  to  the  reckless  har- 
angues of  irresponsible  professional  demagogues, 
wage  earners  were  often  as  tyrannical  as  capitalists, 
insisting  on  impossible  demands,  rejecting  sober 
compromise  which,  in  the  end,  must  be  the  basis  of 
all  amicable  relations  between  employer  and  em- 
ployed. 

147 


THE    MASK 


For  some  time  he  sat  there,  giving  free  rein  to 
his  imagination,  when  suddenly  he  fancied  he  heard 
the  sound  of  heavy  footsteps  crunching  on  the 
hard  sand.  Raising  his  head  he  looked  quickly 
round  but  seeing  no  one,  concluded  he  was  mis- 
taken. Looking  at  his  watch,  he  was  amazed  to 
find  that  he  had  been  away  from  camp  a  whole 
hour.  There  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  The  men 
had  certainly  finished  eating  by  now;  they  could 
start  at  once.  Jumping  up  he  turned  round  to  re- 
trace his  steps  the  same  way  he  had  come,  when, 
suddenly,  a  shadow  fell  between  him  and  the  white 
road.  Looking  up,  he  was  startled  to  see  himself 
reflected  as  in  a  mirror  against  the  green  back- 
ground of  the  kopjie. 

At  first  he  thought  he  must  be  ill.  The  walk, 
the  sun,  the  exposure  had  no  doubt  overstimulated 
him  and  made  him  excited  and  feverish.  He  was 
seeing  things.  His  success  with  the  diamond  deal 
had  affected  his  brain.  Of  course,  it  was  only  an 
hallucination.  The  next  time  he  looked  this  fan- 
tastic creation  of  his  disordered  mind  would  be 
gone.  Again  he  glanced  up  in  the  direction  of  the 

148 


THE    MASK 


kopjie.  The  apparition  was  still  there,  a  horrible, 
monstrous,  distortion  of  himself,  standing  still, 
speechless,  staring  at  him.  That  it  was  only  a  mir- 
age there  could  be  no  doubt.  He  had  heard  of 
such  mirages  at  sea  and  also  in  the  Sahara  where 
wandering  Arabs  have  beheld  long  caravans  jour- 
neying in  the  skies.  But  he  had  never  heard  of  a 
mirage  lasting  as  long  as  this  one.  Would  it  never 
disappear?  It  must  be  a  nightmare  which  still 
obsessed  him.  That  was  it.  He  had  fallen  asleep 
on  the  tree  and  was  not  yet  awake.  With  an  effort 
he  made  a  step  forward  and  tried  to  articulate, 
but  the  words  stuck  in  his  throat.  Suddenly  the 
spell  was  broken  by  the  apparition  itself,  which 
moved  and  spoke.  He  recognized  who  it  was  now 
— one  of  the  strangers  brought  in  by  Frangois — 
but  that  astonishing  likeness  of  himself — 

Judging  by  the  astonished  expression  on  his  face, 
Handsome  was  just  as  much  surprised  as  Kenneth 
at  the  encounter.  After  satisfying  his  hunger  he, 
too,  had  strayed  away  from  the  camp,  unable  to 
control  his  impatience  while  the  teamsters  were 
harnessing  the  mule  team.  He  had  left  Hickey  to 

149 


THE    MASK 


gorge  still  more  while  he  strutted  on  by  himself, 
cogitating  on  what  the  valet  had  told  him  in  regard 
to  the  diamonds.  This  sudden  meeting  with  the 
very  man  who  had  been  uppermost  in  his  thoughts 
was  surprising  enough,  and  instantly  he,  also,  was 
struck  with  the  extraordinary  resemblance  between 
them. 

"Who  the  devil  are  you?"  he  demanded  in  surly 
tones. 

Thus  rudely  aroused  to  the  reality,  and  seeing 
that  it  was  really  a  creature  of  flesh  and  blood  he 
had  to  deal  with  and  not  a  creature  of  another 
world,  Kenneth  answered  haughtily: 

"I'm  not  accustomed  to  being  addressed  in  that 
manner." 

Handsome  laughed  mockingly.  With  affected 
politeness  he  retorted: 

"Your  lordship's  servant !  What  is  his  lordship's 
pleasure  ?" 

Kenneth  did  not  hear  the  taunting  reply  or  heed 
the  sneer.  He  was  still  staring  at  this  counterpart 
of  himself,  this  very  image  yet  who  was  not  him- 
self, but  a  human  derelict,  a  wretched,  sodden  out- 

150 


THE    MASK 


cast.  All  at  once,  an  overwhelming,  horrible  sug- 
gestion rushed  across  his  brain.  Could  it  be,  was 
it — his  long  lost  twin  brother?  Almost  gasping, 
he  demanded: 

"Who  are  you?" 

Handsome  chuckled. 

"I  don't  know." 

"What  is  your  name?" 

The  man  chuckled. 

"They  call  me  Handsome.  That's  because  I'm 
a  good  looker.  I  have  had  a  good  many  other 
names,  but  I've  forgotten  what  they  are.  The  po- 
lice know.  It's  all  in  the  records." 

"My  God — a  police  record!" 

"What  of  it?"  Bitterly  he  added:  "We  can't 
all  be  fine  gentlemen  and  millionaires." 

"Where  are  you  from?" 

"Nowhere." 

"Who  were  your  parents?" 

"Never  had  any  that  I  know  of." 

Kenneth  started  forward  and,  seizing  the  man's 
left  hand,  closely  examined  it.  Yes,  there  was  the 
scar  on  the  index  finger  of  the  left  hand.  No 


THE    MASK 


further  doubt  was  possible.    This  was  his  brother. 

Handsome,  meantime,  had  been  watching  the 
other's  agitation  with  mingled  interest  and  amuse- 
ment. 

Hoarsely,  Kenneth  cried: 

"Where  have  you  been  all  these  years?" 

Handsome  stared  as  if  he  thought  his  interlocu- 
tor had  gone  crazy.  Almost  angrily  he  retorted : 

"What  d d  business  is  it  of  yours?" 

Paying  no  heed  to  the  miner's  offensive  attitude, 
and  anxious  only  to  learn  something  of  his  history, 
Kenneth  approached  him  and  held  out  his  hand. 

"I  wish  to  be  your  friend." 

Handsome  drew  back  suspiciously.  Always  as- 
sociated with  evil  himself,  he  looked  for  only  evil 
from  others.  Bitterly  he  retorted : 

"My  friend — what  do  your  kind  care  for  poor 
devils  like  me?" 

For  answer,  Kenneth  removed  his  helmet,  sud- 
denly revealing  the  solitary  lock  of  white  hair. 
Handsome  fell  back  in  surprise.  For  the  first  time 
he  realized  the  extraordinary  resemblance.  He  had 
noticed  a  marked  likeness  before,  but  now  the 

152 


"  YES,   YOU  ARE   MY   BROTHER.      WE   ARE   TWINS." 


p.  153 


run  MASK 


diamond  promoter's  helmet  was  off,  it  was  posi- 
tively startling.  Hoarsely  he  exclaimed: 

"The  devil!  Who  are  you?  You  look  just 
like " 

Kenneth  looked  at  him  keenly  for  a  moment. 
Then  he  said  calmly : 

"Yes — I  look  just  like  you.  No  wonder.  You 
are — my  brother!" 

"Your  brother?" 

"Yes — my  brother.  We  are  twins.  You  were 
kidnapped  by  gypsies  thirty-two  years  ago.  Our 
old  nurse  told  me  the  story  for  the  first  time  the 
day  before  I  sailed  from  New  York.  She  also 
told  me  about  that  scar  on  your  hand.  You  cut  it 
badly  when  you  were  a  year  old  and  the  scar  has 
remained  ever  since.  Everybody  believed  you  dead. 
Where  have  you  been  all  these  years?" 

Handsome  made  no  answer  but  fell  back  a  few 
steps,  and  passed  his  hand  over  his  brow  as  if 
bewildered.  This  astonishing  revelation  had  been 
made  so  suddenly  that  it  had  left  him  dazed.  A 
wild,  improbable  tale,  it  seemed,  yet  perhaps  there 
was  some  truth  in  it.  He  had  never  known  who 

153 


THE    MASK 


his  parents  were  and  it  had  always  seemed  to  him 
that  he  came  of  better  stock  than  those  with  whom 
he  associated.  Then  again,  there  was  the  ridiculous 
likeness.  One  had  only  to  look  at  them  both — it 
was  the  same  face. 

Slowly,  gradually,  as  he  looked  more  closely  at 
Kenneth  the  conviction  grew  stronger  that  this, 
indeed,  was  his  brother,  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  yet 
it  aroused  within  him  no  emotion  and  left  him  en- 
tirely cold.  No  impulse  seized  him  to  throw  him- 
self into  this  man's  arms  and  embrace  him.  His 
heart  was  steeled  against  the  world.  Human  affec- 
tion and  sympathy  had  dried  up  in  his  breast  years 
ago.  What  he  saw  was  not  a  kinsman,  a  brother, 
hut  a  man  who  had  succeeded  in  life  where  he  had 
failed,  a  man  who  was  rich  and  happy  while  he 
was  poor  and  miserable,  a  man  who  had  everything 
while  he  had  nothing.  And  if  the  tale  were  true, 
if  indeed,  he  were  this  rich  man's  brother,  it  only 
made  matters  worse,  for  he  had  been  robbed  of 
his  rightful  inheritance.  This  rich  man  was  en- 
joying wealth  half  of  which  rightfully  belonged 
to  him. 

154 


THE    MASK 


Again  Kenneth  demanded: 
"Where  have  you  been  all  these  years?" 
"Here,  there,  everywhere,"  was  the  sullen 
answer.  "London,  Paris,  Brussels,  Vienna,  New 
York,  Boston,  Chicago,  Havana,  Buenos  Ayres. 
I  know  them  all  and  they  know  me — perhaps  too 
well.  My  earliest  recollection  is  of  the  Italian 
quarter  in  New  York,  a  long  narrow  always  dirty 
street,  bordered  on  either  side  by  dilapidated  greasy 
tenements,  ricketty  fire  escapes  filled  with  biddy  and 
garbage.  Pietro  lived  there  and  kept  his  organ  in 
the  basement  cellar.  When  Pietro  went  out  with 
the  organ  he  took  me  along  to  excite  sympathy. 
Until  I  was  fifteen  years  old  I  begged  to  support 
Pietro.  One  day  he  beat  me  and  I  ran  away  and 
shipped  as  cabin  boy  on  a  sailing  vessel  bound  for 
Liverpool.  I  reached  London  and  found  employ- 
ment as  stable  boy  at  Ascot.  There  I  learned  the 
fatal  fascination  of  gambling.  With  what  I  saved 
from  my  wages  I  bet  on  the  horses.  I  won  and 
won  again.  I  went  back  to  London  and  frequented 
the  gambling  houses.  I  won,  always  won.  One 
day  there  was  a  row.  Someone  complained  I  had 

155 


THE    MASK 


cheated.  The  police  arrested  me.  When  I  left 
jail  I  went  to  the  continent  and  began  gambling 
again.  I  have  gambled  ever  since."  Pointing  in 
the  direction  of  the  mines  he  added  bitterly: 
"That  was  my  last  gamble  and  I  lost.  That's  all 
I  have  to  tell." 

Kenneth  listened  with  keen  interest.  When  the 
other  stopped  speaking  he  asked : 

"And  now — what  will  you  do?" 

Handsome  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  made  no 
answer.  Kenneth  went  on: 

"You  can't  keep  up  the  old  life — that  is  im- 
possible. You  owe  something  to  the  blood  that's 
running  in  your  veins.  There  is  only  one  thing 
for  you  to  do.  You  must  break  off  with  the  past 
for  good,  and  come  home  with  me.  Are  you  known 
in  New  York?" 

Handsome  shook  his  head. 

"No,  I  never  returned  there  since  I  was  a  child." 

"Your  operations  in  America  were  confined  to 
San  Francisco,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis " 

"Yes." 

Kenneth  breathed  more  freely. 
156 


THE    MASK 


"That  makes  matters  easier.  No  one  in  New 
York,  therefore,  has  anything  against  you.  There 
it  will  be  possible  to  live  down  your  past.  You 
will  cease  being  an  outcast,  a  wanderer  on  the  face 
of  the  earth.  You  will  take  the  place  in  society 
for  which  Nature  intended  you." 

Handsome  smiled  cynically.     Grimly  he  replied: 
"I  guess  Nature  never  expected  much  of  me." 
"You   never    can   tell,"    said    Kenneth   quickly. 
"Your  environments  no  doubt  were  responsible  for 
your  downfall.    You  have  been  a  victim  of  circum- 
stances." 

Handsome  was  silent.    This  free  roving  life  had 
come  second  nature  to  him.     He  looked  with  sus- 
picion on  any  other.    After  a  pause,  he  asked : 
"What  can  I  do  in  New  York?" 
"I  will  dress  and  house  you  like  a  gentleman. 
For  a  time  you  can  make  your  home  with  us.     If 
we  find  we  can't  agree,  well — we'll  part.     I  will 

find  you  employment " 

Handsome  laughed.     Mockingly  he  said : 

"Then  I  am  to  be  dependent  on  you " 

"No — not   on  me .    On   your  own   efforts. 

157 


THE    MASK 


There  is  no  reason  why,  if  given  a  chance,  you  will 
not  make  a  success  in  the  world.  You  are  still 
young  and  energetic.  I  will  give  you  a  start  in 
any  line  you  wish  to  enter.  I  will  make  you  a 
present  of  $10,000.  It  should  be  enough  capital 
to  start  in  any  business." 

Handsome  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Charity?"  he  exclaimed. 

"No — not  charity — brotherly  affection." 

His  brother  laughed  mockingly.  Bitterly  he  ex- 
claimed : 

"Maybe  it's  conscience  money." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"You  inherited  from  our  father,  didn't  you?" 

"Yes — but  I've  increased  it  a  hundred-fold  by 
my  own  efforts." 

"How  much  did  he  leave  you?" 

"Twenty  thousand  dollars." 

"Why  didn't  he  leave  me  some?" 

"He  believed  you  dead.  The  sum  I  offer  you  is 
the  sum  you  would  have  inherited  from  our  father 
had  he  known  you  were  living.  Do  you  accept?" 

Handsome  was  silent.  His  brain  was  working 
158 


THE    MASK 


fast.  What  this  man  offered  him  was  the  merest 
pittance.  Put  out  at  interest,  it  would  give  him 
the  princely  income  of  $10  a  week.  What  did  he 
care  for  the  good  opinion  of  the  world?  He  had 
knocked  about  so  long,  roughing  it  everywhere, 
that  he  might  as  well  end  as  he  had  begun — an 
adventurer.  Suddenly  there  flashed  across  his 
brain  a  wild,  audacious  idea — a  scheme  so  fantastic, 
so  fraught  with  adventure  and  peril  that  the  very 
thought  gave  him  a  thrill.  It  involved  violence, 
possibly  a  crime.  Well,  what  of  it?  He  was  not 
the  kind  to  be  deterred  by  trifles.  This  man  was 
nothing  to  him.  Brotherly  love,  family  ties — these 
were  simply  phrases  to  one  who  had  never  known 
them.  He  knew  and  obeyed  only  one  instinct — 
the  fight  for  life,  the  survival  of  the  fittest.  Society 
had  waged  war  on  him;  he  would  be  merciless  in 
his  war  on  society.  This  man — this  alleged  brother, 
threw  him  a  sop,  insulted  him  by  offering  him 
charity.  Why  should  he  hesitate?  It  was  his  life 
or  another's.  There  was  a  big  prize  to  be  won. 
Life  was  sweet  when  one  has  millions  to  enjoy  it 
with.  This  man  had  now  on  his  person  diamonds 

159 


THE    MASK 


worth  over  a  million  and  he  had  more  millions  at 
home.  Suppose  something  happened  to  this  man 
here  in  South  Africa  and  he  went  home  in  his 
stead  to  take  his  place  in  his  household  and  enjoy 
his  millions?  Who  would  know  the  difference? 

Impatient  at  the  other's  silence  Kenneth  de- 
manded somewhat  sharply: 

"Well — what  do  you  say?    Do  you  accept?" 

He  looked  straight  at  his  vis-a-vis,  but  Hand- 
some avoided  his  direct  gaze.  He  was  silent  for 
another  moment  as  if  reflecting.  Then,  slowly,  he 
said: 

"Yes,  I  accept." 


160 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  string  orchestra,  adroitly  concealed  be- 
hind a  bank  of  graceful  exotic  plants, 
struck  up  a  languorous  waltz,  and  the 
couples,  only  too  eager  to  respond  to  the  invitation, 
began  to  turn  and  glide  over  the  polished  parquet 
floor. 

Not  since  its  master's  departure  for  South  Africa 
had  the  Traynor  residence  been  the  scene  of  so 
much  life  and  gayety.  Every  window  literally 
blazed  with  light.  From  the  front  door  at  the  top 
of  the  high  stoop  down  to  the  edge  of  the  street 
curb,  stretched  a  canvas  awning  to  protect  arriving 
guests  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather. 

It  was  a  stormy  night.  The  rain  was  falling  in 
torrents,  but  no  one  cared.  Everybody  was  out  for 
a  good  time  and  they  knew  that  this  was  the  house 
to  get  it. 

Helen's  first  impulse  had  been  to  postpone  the 
affair,  held  really  in  celebration  of  Ray's  birthday, 

161 


THE    MASK 


until  Kenneth's  return,  but  as  this  idea  had  met 
with  decided  opposition  from  the  younger  element, 
she  had  reluctantly  given  way.  Besides,  there  was 
no  knowing  when  Kenneth  would  return.  Nothing 
as  yet  had  been  heard  from  him  excepting  a  brief 
cablegram  announcing  his  safe  arrival  at  Cape 
Town,  and  it  was  manifestly  unfair  to  let  her  own 
inclinations  stand  in  the  way  of  the  happiness  of 
others.  So,  after  due  reflection,  she  had  surren- 
dered completely,  giving  Ray  carte  blanche  to  make 
what  arrangements  she  chose.  That  young  person 
did  not  stand  on  the  order  of  going.  She  acted  at 
once  and  sent  out  invitations  to  what  proved  to  be 
one  of  the  biggest  soirees  dansantes  of  the  season. 
Everything  was  done  on  a  most  liberal  scale.  The 
house  was  decorated  by  Herly,  three  picturesque 
fiddlers  were  obtained  from  an  agency,  and  Maz- 
zoni,  who  provides  delicacies  for  the  "400,"  had 
charge  of  the  catering. 

Everybody  who  was  anybody  was  invited,  all 
Ray's  personal  friends  besides  a  lot  of  people  she 
did  not  know  so  well.  A  number  of  Helen's  inti- 
mates were  there  and  also  some  men  friends  of 

162 


THE    MASK 


Mr.  Steell  and  Dick  Reynolds.  The  girls  in  their 
light  gowns  looked  pretty  as  angels.  The  men  were 
handsome,  attentive  and  gallant.  Altogether,  every- 
one voted  it  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  social  affairs 
of  the  year. 

Ray  had  danced  her  sixth  waltz  and  at  last 
utterly  exhausted,  unable  to  stand  any  more,  she 
allowed  Dick  Reynolds  to  escort  her  to  a  sofa. 

"Please  get  me  an  ice,  will  you?  That's  a  dear 
boy,"  she  gasped. 

"Will  I!"  echoed  the  youth.  "What  wouldn't 
I  do  for  you — fire  and  water — that's  all!" 

"As  bad  as  that?"  laughed  the  girl  panting. 
"Please  don't  be  silly.  Go  and  get  me  an  ice." 

Obediently,  he  left  her  and  forced  his  way 
through  the  throng  to  the  buffet,  while  Ray,  left 
alone,  started  to  fan  herself  vigorously.  As  she  sat 
there  Helen  passed  on  the  arm  of  Mr.  Parker.  The 
President  stopped  short  and  quizzed  the  young  girl. 

"You  here?"  ejaculated  the  old  gentleman  in 
mock  amazement.  "Why  aren't  you  dancing? 
This  will  never  do." 

Helen  smiled. 

. 

163 


run  MASK 


"I  expect  she's  tired  out.  This  is  the  first  time 
I've  seen  her  sit  down  all  evening." 

Ray  nodded. 

"You've  guessed  right,  sis.  I'm  nearly  dead.  I 
sent  Dick  for  an  ice." 

"Did  you  ever  see  such  a  crowd?"  remarked  the 
president  of  the  A.  A.  M.  Company  as  he  surveyed 
the  throng  that  passed  in  and  out  of  the  rooms. 

"Oh,  Mrs.  Traynor  we're  having  such  a  jolly 
time,"  exclaimed  a  tall  graceful  girl,  gracefully 
dressed  in  light  blue  empire  gown  with  Grecian 
head  dress. 

"I'm  so  glad,  dear,"  smiled  the  hostess  amiably. 
Turning  to  Mr.  Parker  as  the  girl  passed  on  she 
asked :  "Do  you  know  who  that  is  ?" 

He  shook  his  head. 

"She's  the  granddaughter  of  John  R.  Rocker- 
ford,  the  money  king.  Fancy  her  saying  this  is 
jolly  after  the  grandeur  she  is  accustomed  to!" 

"No  doubt  she  likes  this  better,"  retorted  Ray. 
"Those  very  rich  people  don't  do  things  any  better 
than  we — sometimes  not  so  well.  Their  parties  are 
too  stiff  and  formal." 

164 


THE    MASK 


Suddenly  Mr.  Parker  nudged  his  hostess. 

"Here  comes  Mrs.  Brewster-Curtis,"  he  said  in 
a  stage  whisper.  "They  say  her  husband's  worth 
ten  millions — all  made  from  graft." 

A  handsome  woman,  blazing  with  diamonds,  came 
up.  Addressing  Helen,  she  exclaimed  gushingly: 

"Oh,  Mrs.  Traynor,  isn't  this  perfectly  delight- 
ful? How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Parker.  Do  you  know 
I  haven't  enjoyed  myself  so  much  this  season. 
What's  the  news  from  your  dear  husband  ?" 

"No  news  as  yet." 

"Dear  me — you  poor  thing!  How  interesting — 
so  pretty  and  husband  away.  What  an  opportunity 
for  some  of  our  gay  Lotharios!" 

"They  wouldn't  have  much  chance  with  Helen!" 
laughed  Ray. 

Mrs.  Brewster-Curtis  turned,  and  putting  up  her 
gold  lorgnon,  stared  at  the  unknown  young  woman 
who  had  been  so  bold  to  venture  to  express  an 
opinion.  Ray,  meantime,  was  wondering  what  de- 
tained Dick.  Here  she  was  famishing  with  thirst 
and  still  no  ice.  Her  partner  had  disappeared 
completely. 

165 


THE    MASK 


Addressing  her  hostess  Mrs.  Brewster  said  lan- 
guidly : 

"Your  niece,  I  believe." 

"No — my  sister,"  corrected  Helen  with  a  smile. 
It  was  a  mistake  often  made. 

"Of  course — of  course,  how  silly  of  me.  I  might 
have  known  that.  You  look  enough  alike." 

"Do  you  think  so?"  interrupted  Ray  hotly. 
"Helen  is  far  prettier  than  I." 

"You  are  no  judge,  my  dear.  You  must  let  the 
men  decide  that." 

"They  do,"  said  Ray,  "and  they  all  declare  in 
favor  of  Helen." 

"Not  by  the  way  Mr.  Steell  dodges  your  foot- 
steps." Looking  up  she  exclaimed:  "There  he 
is  now." 

"Oh,  Mr.  Steell,"  cried  Helen,  "don't  forget  our 
next  waltz." 

His  face  all  smiles,  the  lawyer  forced  his  way 
through  the  press  of  people. 

"Have  you  seen  Dick  ?"  asked  Ray.  "I  sent  him 
to  get  me  an  ice." 

Mr.  Steell  laughed  outright. 
166 


THH    MASK 


"Oh,  it  was  you  who  sent  him.  If  I  had 
known " 

"Why?"  demanded  Ray,  opening  wide  her  eyes. 
".Where  is  he?  I  want  my  ice." 

"I'll  get  you  an  ice,  dear,"  said  Helen. 

"No,  let  me  go,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Parker. 

"No — no  one  will  get  the  ice  but  myself,"  said 
Mr.  Steell.  "It's  my  fault  that  the  ice  is  not  al- 
ready forthcoming.  It  is  only  just  that  I  suffer 
accordingly." 

Mr.  Parker  laughed. 

"The  ice  episode  threatens  to  become  a  diplomatic 
incident." 

"Why — whatever  is  the  matter?"  smiled  Helen. 

The  lawyer  was  so  much  amused  that  he  could 
hardly  keep  his  face  straight.  With  an  effort  he 
controlled  himself,  and  said: 

"Just  now  I  was  talking  with  a  pretty  girl  and 
Dick  suddenly  forced  his  way  through  the  crowd, 
going  in  the  direction  of  the  buffet.  I  had  no 
idea  on  what  a  serious  mission  he  was  bound,  of 
course,  and  so  I  called  him  to  introduce  him  to  the 
pretty  girl,  who  had  with  her  an  aunt,  a  veritable 

167 


THE    MASK 


witch,  as  hideous  as  a  Medusa,  and  who,  in  addition, 
is  afflicted  with  a  wooden  leg.  Dick  gave  the  aunt 
only  a  glance.  That  was  enough,  but  he  was  all 
smiles  for  her  pretty  niece,  who,  I  must  admit,  is 
somewhat  of  a  flirt.  Anyhow  she  rolled  her  eyes  so 
eloquently  at  him  that  he  forgot  all  about  the  im- 
portant errand  on  which  he  was  bound.  Just  at 
that  moment  the  musicians  struck  up  a  schottische, 
and,  on  the  spur  of  the  moment,  he  asked  the  pretty 
girl  to  dance.  She  declined,  with  an  arch  smile, 
but,  pointing  to  the  old  witch,  said  her  aunt  would 
be  delighted.  Poor  Dick!  There  was  no  help  for 
it.  The  Medusa  got  up,  seized  him  in  her  claws, 
and,  the  last  thing  I  saw  of  the  poor  youth,  they 
were  doing  a  sort  of  Bunny  Hug,  the  wooden  leg 
of  his  lady  partner  marking  time  on  the  waxed 
floor." 

"Please  stop!    If  you  go  on — I  shall  expire." 
Ray  was  nearly  in  convulsions  of  laughter  in 
which  all  joined.     When  Helen  had  somewhat  re- 
gained her  composure,  she  said : 

"I  think  it's  unkind  to  make  fun  of  the  poor 
woman.    Who  is  she  ?" 

168 


THE    MASK 


"I  haven't  the  least  idea.  Perhaps  Dick  will 
tell  us." 

At  that  moment  the  youth  emerged  from  the 
throng  and  came  towards  them,  his  linen  mussed, 
his  hair  dishevelled.  But  in  one  hand  he  held 
grimly  a  plate  of  ice  cream.  Looking  shamelessly 
at  Ray,  he  smiled: 

"I've  got  it— at  last." 

"Where  have  you  been  all  this  time?"  she  de- 
manded innocently. 

"Oh,  I've  been  having  no  end  of  a  good  time!" 

Steell  burst  out  laughing. 

"Did  she  ask  you  to  call,  Dick?" 

"If  she  had  I'd  have  killed  her." 

"How  did  the  artificial  leg  work?" 

"She  jammed  it  on  my  foot  once.  How  it  did 
hurt!" 

Ray,  by  this  time,  was  almost  in  hysterics,  and 
Helen  and  the  others,  catching  the  contagion,  the 
whole  group  were  soon  shaken  by  uncontrollable 
laughter. 

The  orchestra  struck  up  a  quadrille.  A  man 
came  rushing  up  to  Ray. 

169 


THB    MASK 


"My  dance,  I  believe." 

.With  a  comical  expression  of  resignation,  the 
young  girl  allowed  herself  to  be  led  away,  while 
Helen  and  Mrs.  Brewster-Curtis  took  seats  to 
watch  the  figures. 

"Come,  Dick,"  said  Steell  in  an  undertone.  "Let's 
go  and  smoke  a  cigar." 

Leading  the  way  he  went  into  the  smoking-room, 
where  cigars  and  liquors  were  laid  out.  Turning 
to  the  youth,  he  inquired  eagerly : 

"Well — what  about  the  Signor?  What  have  you 
found  out?" 

Dick  lit  a  cigarette  and  then  calmly  he  said: 

"Everything." 

"What— to  be  specific." 

"He's  all  and  more  than  we  expected." 

"In  other  words — a  crook?" 

"Yes,  and  a  dangerous  one." 

"What's  his  game?" 

"Confidence  man,  bank  robber,  blackmailer." 

"How  did  you  find  out?" 

"Very  easily.  I  found  his  record.  The  police 
haven't  disturbed  him  because  his  clever  disguise 

170 


THE    MASK 


has  deceived  them.  They  have  not  recognized  in 
the  polished,  suave  Signer  Keralio,  the  popular 
fencing  master,  the  man  they  have  been  hunting 
for  years.  His  real  name  is  Richard  Barton.  His 
pals  call  him  Baron  Rapp.  Five  years  ago  he  was 
convicted  of  robbing  a  bank  out  West  and  was 
sent  up  for  ten  years.  He  served  a  year  in  Joliet 
and  then  broke  jail  and  he  has  been  at  liberty  ever 
since." 

"Good!"  exclaimed  the  lawyer,  rubbing  his 
hands  with  satisfaction.  "We've  got  him  where  we 
want  him.  What  else?" 

"He  has  managed  to  elude  the  police  so  far 
owing  to  the  fact  that  he  has  not  been  operating 
of  late,  but  from  what  I've  been  able  to  ferret  out, 
he  is  preparing  some  big  haul.  Everything  points 
that  way.  I  don't  know  what  it  is,  but  it's  the 
biggest  thing  in  which  he  has  yet  been  mixed  up. 
He's  affiliated  with  crooks  who  operate  all  over  the 
country.  Some  of  his  men  are  disguised  as  ser- 
vants and  valets  in  rich  houses.  They  spy  on  their 
masters  and  tell  him  if  there  is  anything  worth 
robbing.  He  is  the  master-mind  that  schemes  the 

171 


THB    MASK 


operations  that  others  carry  out.  He  tells  his  men 
what  banks  and  homes  to  break  into  and  instructs 
them  how  to  do  it.  He  receives  all  the  stolen  prop- 
erty. At  this  very  moment  his  flat  in  the  Bronx  is 
full  of  stolen  loot.  I  also  suspect  him  of  being  en- 
gaged in  counterfeiting." 

The  lawyer  was  lost  in  admiration. 

"Dick,  you're  a  wonder!" 

The  young  man  grinned  with  pride. 

"Well— what's  it  to  be— shall  we  tip  off  the 
police  ?" 

"Not  by  a  long  shot.  We'll  have  the  gun  loaded 
— all  ready  for  use.  If  the  Signer  gets  ugly  we'll 
shoot — that's  all.  Not  a  word,  do  you  hear. 
Leave  everything  to  me.  Come,  let's  go  back  or 
they'll  think  something's  wrong." 

In  the  ballroom,  they  were  still  dancing  the  quad- 
rille, the  pretty  gowns  of  the  girls  and  black  coats 
of  the  men  making  a  picturesque  sight  as  they 
blended  in  the  ever  changing  figures. 

The  gayety  was  at  its  height  when  the  maid  en- 
tered and  whispered  in  her  ear : 

"There's  a  gentleman  downstairs." 
172 


THE    MASK 


Helen  looked  at  the  girl  in  surprise. 

"A  gentleman?    What's  his  name?" 

"I  don't  know,  m'm.    He  wouldn't  say." 

"Very  well,  I'll  go  down." 

Slipping  away  unobserved,  Helen  made  her  way 
downstairs  and  throwing  back  the  heavy  tapestry 
portieres  entered  the  drawing  room  which  was  al- 
most in  complete  darkness.  The  maid  had  for- 
gotten to  switch  on  the  electrolier  and  as  the  only 
light  came  from  the  distant  dining-room,  the  big 
parlor  was  practically  all  in  gloom.  Before  her 
eyes  had  become  quite  accustomed  to  the  dark,  a 
man  advanced  out  of  the  shadow.  It  was  Signer 
Keralio. 

She  recognized  him  instantly  and  instinctively 
she  shrank  back,  alarmed.  How  had  he  dared 
come  again  to  her  house  after  what  had  occurred? 
He  noticed  the  movement  and  asked: 

"I  see  that  I'm  unwelcome.  Do  I  frighten  you 
so  much?" 

Coldly  she  answered: 

"You  do  not  frighten  me.  You  surprise  me.  I 
did  not  expect  this  pleasure  after  what  passed  be- 

173 


THE    MASK 


tween  us  the  last  time  you  were  here."  Making  a 
half  turn,  as  if  about  to  leave  the  room,  she  added 
quickly:  "I  have  company  upstairs.  You  must 
excuse  me." 

She  walked  away  and  had  almost  reached  the 
door,  when,  with  a  quick  stride,  he  intercepted  her. 

"Please  don't  go.  I  am  here  in  your  own  inter- 
est. I  want  to  talk  to  you — just  a  moment, 
about " 

She  hesitated. 

"About  what?"  she  demanded  haughtily. 

"About  your  husband." 

"My  husband?"  she  echoed,  turning  and  facing 
him. 

"Yes — your  husband.  He  is  in  danger.  I  want 
to  help  you  and — him." 

"Kenneth  in  danger?"  she  faltered.  "What  do 
you  mean?" 

He  pointed  to  a  chair. 

"Won't  you  sit  down.  I  won't  keep  you  a  mo- 
ment. I  will  tell  you  everything " 

She  sat  down  like  one  in  a  dream.  Taking  a  seat 
near  her,  he  began  in  his  low,  musical  tones. 

174 


THE    MASK 


"Peril  threatens  your  husband.  It  is  known  that 
he  has  gone  to  South  Africa  to  bring  home  dia- 
monds of  almost  inestimable  value.  A  number  of 
desperate  men,  who  stop  at  nothing  to  accomplish 
their  ends,  have  taken  steps  to  secure  the  diamonds 
at  any  cost — even  at  the  price  of  a  human  life." 

A  chill  ran  through  her,  but  her  voice  was  firm 
as  she  demanded  scornfully: 

"You  know  these  men — these  murderers  ?" 

"Yes — I  know  them." 

Instantly  came  the  bitter  retort: 

"Maybe  you  are  one  of  them!" 

His  eyes  flashed  in  the  darkness  and  his  voice 
vibrated  with  passion  as  he  answered : 

"I  know  you  think  ill  of  me.  You  do  me  an 
injustice.  I  have  no  share  in  these  men's  opera- 
tions, but  I  have  great  power  over  them.  They 
must  obey  my  command.  They  know  that  and  so 
respect  my  orders.  A  word  from  me  and  your 
husband  will  be  unmolested." 

Like  the  drowning  man  who  in  his  agony  will 
grasp  eagerly  at  a  floating  straw,  Helen  seized  at 
the  hope  his  words  held  out.  That  Kenneth  was 

175 


THE    MASK 


in  peril  she  readily  believed.  It  was  a  dangerous 
mission.  She  had  scented  danger  from  the  outset. 
This  man  might  be  lying,  and  yet  he  might  have 
the  influence  he  boasted. 

"You  can  avert  the  danger?" 

He  nodded. 

"I  can." 

"How?" 

"I  will  give  orders  that  he  be  unmolested." 

"And  they  will  obey  you  ?" 

"They  will." 

Her  face  brightened.    More  amiably  she  said : 

"You'll  do  this,  won't  you?" 

"Yes — for  a  price." 

"What  price?" 

"That  you  recall  what  you  said  the  other  day  and 
restore  me  to  a  place  in  your  friendship." 

There  was  no  mistaking  his  true  meaning.  It 
was  a  price  no  self-respecting  woman  could  pay. 
She  rose  indignantly,  and  haughtily  she  said : 

"You  have  never  had  a  place  in  my  friendship, 
Signer  Keralio,  and  you  never  will.  I  see  through 
your  motive  and  I  despise  you  now  all  the  more. 

176 


THE    MASK 


My  husband,  who  is  an  honorable  man,  would  be 
the  first  to  have  done  with  me  forever  if  I  entered 
into  any  such  bargain.  He  has  mistaken  your 
character.  When  he  returns  I  will  enlighten  him, 
and  he  will  tell  you  himself  that  his  wife  has  no 
dealings  with  a  scoundrel.  As  for  your  threats, 
and  tale  of  mysterious  danger,  I  don't  believe  a 
word  you  say.  But  I  may  think  it  worth  while  to 
cable  my  husband  in  order  to  put  him  on  his  guard 
and  to  inform  the  police.  Good  night!" 

Before  he  could  stop  her,  she  had  touched  an 
electric  bell  and  left  the  room.  The  next  instant 
Roberts,  the  butler,  appeared  and  threw  open  the 
front  door.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but  go. 

She  had  defied  him. 


177 


CHAPTER  X 

EAGERLY,  breathlessly,  Helen  tore  open  the 
cablegram. 

It  was  late  Saturday  afternoon  and  she 
had  been  with  Ray  and  Mr.  Steell  to  see  some 
paintings — a  private  view  of  a  remarkable  col- 
lection of  old  masters.  After  having  tea  at  the 
Plaza  they  had  taken  a  brisk  walk  through  the  Park, 
the  lawyer  insisting  that  the  exercise  would  do  them 
good. 

"It's  just  come,  m'm,"  said  the  maid,  holding 
out  the  thin  envelope. 

"Oh,  it's  from  Kenneth!"  exclaimed  Ray  ex- 
citedly, throwing  down  her  muff  and  running  to 
look  over  her  sister's  shoulder. 

For  long,  dreary  weeks  Helen  had  expected,  and 
waited  for,  this  message,  and  now  it  had  come,  she 
was  almost  afraid  to  read  it.  There  were  only  a 
few  words,  cold  and  formal,  the  usual  matter-of- 

178 


THE    MASK 


fact,  businesslike  phraseology  of  the  so-much-a- 
word  telegram: 

CAPE  TOWN,  Thursday  (delay  in  transmis- 
sion). Sail  to-day  on  the  Abyssinia.  All's  well. 
KEN. 

"Is  that  all?"  exclaimed  Ray,  disappointed. 

Mr.  Steell  laughed. 

"How  much  more  do  you  expect  at  $2  a  word  ?" 

"Well,  he  might  be  a  little  more  explicit," 
pouted  Ray.  "If  I  were  his  wife,  that  wouldn't 
satisfy  me/' 

Helen  laughed  lightly.  Her  eyes  sparkling,  her 
usually  pale  cheeks  filled  with  a  ruddy  color  from 
her  walk  in  the  park,  the  lawyer  thought  he  had 
never  seen  her  looking  so  pretty. 

"It  satisfies  me,"  she  said,  her  face  all  lit  up  with 
joyous  excitement.  "All  I  want  to  know  is  that 
he  is  safe  and  on  his  way  home.  The  cablegram 
is  dated  Thursday.  Then  he's  already  on  the  water 
three  days !  I  wonder  why  we  didn't  hear  before  ?" 

Mr.  Steell  glanced  over  her  shoulder. 

"The  dispatch  has  been  delayed.  Don't  you  see  ? 
It  says,  'delayed  in  transmission.'  " 

179 


THE    MASK 


Helen  turned  round,  her  face  radiant 

"When  ought  he  to  get  here?" 

The  lawyer  was  silent  for  a  moment  as  if  cal- 
culating. Then,  looking  up,  he  said : 

"The  Abyssinia  is  not  a  very  fast  boat  I 
suppose  she  is  the  best  he  could  get.  She's  due  at 
Southampton  two  weeks  from  to-day.  A  week 
after  that,  he  ought  to  be  in  New  York — providing 
nothing  happens." 

Helen,  who  was  still  reading  and  re-reading  the 
cablegram,  looked  up  quickly.  With  a  note  of 
alarm  in  her  voice,  she  exclaimed : 

"Providing  nothing  happens!  What  could  hap- 
pen ?" 

"Oh,  nothing  serious,  of  course.  In  these  days 
of  the  wireless  nothing  ever  happens  to  steamers. 
One  is  safer  traveling  on  the  sea  than  on  land.  I 
didn't  mean  anything  serious,  but  merely  that 
sometimes  boats  are  delayed  by  bad  weather  or  by 
fog.  That  prevents  them  arriving  on  schedule 
time." 

Almost  three  months  had  slipped  by  since  Ken- 
neth's departure  from  New  York.  To  Helen  it 

180 


THE    MASK 


had  seemed  so  many  years.  She  had  tried  to  be 
contented  and  happy  for  Ray's  sake.  She  enter- 
tained a  good  deal,  giving  dinner  and  theater  par- 
ties, keeping  open  house,  playing  graciously  the 
role  of  chatelaine  in  the  absence  of  her  lord,  to  all 
outward  appearances  as  gay  and  light-hearted  as 
ever.  Only  Ray  and  her  immediate  friends  knew 
that  the  gayety  was  forced. 

The  poison  had  done  its  deadly  work.  The  few 
words  uttered  by  Signer  Keralio  that  afternoon 
shortly  after  her  husband's  departure  had  burnt 
deep  into  her  mind  like  letters  of  fire.  Well  she 
guessed  the  object  of  the  wily  Italian  in  speaking  as 
he  did.  It  availed  him  nothing,  and  she  only  de- 
spised him  the  more.  It  was  cowardly,  contempti- 
ble, and,  from  such  a  source,  absolutely  unworthy 
of  belief.  Yet  secretly  it  worried  her  just  the  same. 
She  had  always  considered  Kenneth's  life  an  open 
book.  She  thought  she  knew  his  every  action,  his 
every  thought.  The  mere  suggestion  that  her  hus- 
band might  have  other  interests,  other  attachments 
of  which  she  knew  nothing  took  her  so  by  sur- 
prise that  she  was  disarmed,  powerless  to  answer. 

181 


THE    MASK 


The  innuendo  that  he  might  be  unfaithful  had  gone 
through  her  heart  like  a  knife.  Of  course  it  was 
quite  ridiculous.  He  was  not  that  kind  of  man.  It 
was  true  he  had  often  gone  away  on  trips  that 
seemed  unnecessary,  and  now  she  came  to  think  of 
it  Kenneth's  absences  had  of  late  been  both  frequent 
and  mysterious.  Then,  too,  she  had  no  idea  of  the 
extent  of  his  operations  in  Wall  Street.  She  knew 
he  bought  and  sold  stocks  sometimes.  That  is  only 
what  every  investor  does.  But  it  was  incredible 
that  he  was  involved  to  the  extent  Keralio  said  he 
was.  She  knew  he  was  ambitious  to  acquire  wealth, 
but  that  he  would  take  such  fearful  risks  and  jeop- 
ardize funds  which,  after  all,  belonged,  not  to 
him,  but  to  the  stockholders — that  was  impossible. 
It  was  a  horrible  libel. 

Still  another  cause  for  worry  was  the  health  of 
her  little  daughter,  Dorothy.  Nothing  ailed  the 
child  particularly,  but  she  was  not  well.  The  doctor 
said  nothing  was  the  matter,  but  a  slight  tempera- 
ture persisted,  together  with  a  cough  which,  natu- 
rally, alarmed  the  young  mother  out  of  all  propor- 
tion to  the  seriousness  of  the  case.  The  doctor  also 

182 


THE    MASK 


advised  a  change  of  air,  so  Helen  at  once  made  ar- 
rangements to  send  her  little  daughter  to  Philadel- 
phia, where,  in  Aunt  Carrie's  beautiful  house,  she 
would  have  the  best  air  and  attention  in  the  world. 
Aunt  Carrie  came  to  New  York  to  fetch  the  child, 
and,  as  she  stayed  a  couple  of  weeks  sight-seeing 
and  visiting  friends  that  also  helped  to  keep  Helen 
busy. 

"I  do  wish  that  I  didn't  have  such  a  worrying  dis- 
position"— she  laughed  nervously  after  the  lawyer 
had  been  at  some  pains  to  assure  her  about  the  sea- 
worthiness of  the  Abyssinia.  "Really,  it  makes  me 
so  unhappy,  but  I  simply  can't  help  it.  The  other 
day  it  was  baby  who  made  me  terribly  anxious; 
now  it  is  Kenneth's  home-coming.  I  must  seem 
very  foolish  to  you  all." 

Ray  quickly  protested. 

"You  sweet  thing — how  could  you  look  foolish? 
What  an  idea!  Only  please  don't  worry,  dear.  I 
never  do." 

Mr.  Steell  nodded  sympathetically. 

"It's  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of,  Mrs.  Traynor. 
It  shows  you  have  a  fine,  sensitive  nature.  It  is 

183 


THE    MASK 


only  the  grosser  natures  that  are  callous  and  unaf- 
fected by  the  anxieties  of  life." 

Taking  the  remarks  to  herself,  Ray  threw  up  her 
head  indignantly. 

"I  deny  the  imputation  that  I'm  gross." 

The  lawyer  laughed. 

"You  are  far  too  healthy  to  worry.  Moreover, 
you  have  nothing  to  worry  about.  If  a  man  you 
loved  were  six  thousand  miles  away " 

"Yes,"  interrupted  Helen;  "that's  it.  Only  those 
who  care  for  each  other  can  understand " 

"Oh,  of  course!"  retorted  her  sister,  flaring  up. 
"We  spinsters,  belonging,  as  we  do,  to  the  sister- 
hood of  the  Great  Unloved,  are  quite  incompetent 
to  express  an  intelligent  opinion  on  that  or  on  any 
other  matter.  I  grant  that,  but  is  Mr.  Steell,  a 
confirmed  old  bachelor,  any  more  competent  than 
I?" 

"Hardly  an  old  bachelor!"  interrupted  Helen  re- 
provingly. 

"No — middle-aged  bachelor!"  corrected  Ray 
saucily.  "He  never  cared  for  a  woman  in  his  life. 

He ." 

184 


THE    MASK 


"Who  told  you  so?"  inquired  the  lawyer  quickly, 
with  an  amused  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

Ray  colored  visibly. 

"Oh,  I  judge  so,"  she  stammered.  "You  never 
speak  of  that  sort  of  thing.  One  can  only  draw 
conclusions." 

"The  conclusions  may  be  wrong,"  he  replied 
gravely.  "My  life  is  a  very  busy  one.  I  have  had 
no  time  to  think  of  anything  outside  my  immediate 
work.  Yet  I  am  human.  I  sometimes  yearn  for 
the  companionship  of  a  good  woman.  A  pretty  face 
attracts  me,  as  it  does  other  men,  but,  in  my  opinion, 
any  such  attachment  is  too  serious  a  matter  to  be 
treated  lightly.  When  a  man  feels  deeply  he  keeps 
his  own  confidence  until  the  moment  comes  when  he 
can  unburden  himself  and  say  what  is  in  his 
heart." 

"I  like  that,"  said  Helen,  nodding  her  head  ap- 
provingly. 

Ray  jumped  up  to  conceal  her  embarrassment. 

"Oh,  how  terribly  serious  you  two  are  to-day!" 
she  exclaimed.  "I  declare  I'll  run  away  unless  you 
cheer  up  a  bit.  Suppose  I  get  some  tea?" 

185 


THE    MASK 


"Excellent  idea!"  laughed  the  lawyer. 

Ray  touched  a  bell,  and  went  to  clear  a  small  side 
table,  which  she  drew  up  near  where  they  were  sit- 
ting. 

"There!"  she  exclaimed,  smiling  roguishly  at  the 
lawyer.  "Don't  you  think  I'm  smart?" 

"Of  course  we  do."  Lowering  his  voice  he  ad- 
ded significantly :  "At  least  I  do." 

Apparently  the  compliment  fell  on  deaf  ears,  for, 
turning  her  head  away,  she  said  quickly: 

"Please  don't  be  sarcastic." 

More  seriously,  and  in  the  same  tone,  that  even 
Helen,  who  was  only  a  short  distance  away,  could 
not  hear,  he  said : 

"I'm  never  sarcastic.  I  think  you  are  all  a 
woman  should  be." 

"Do  you  mean  that?" 

"I  do.    I  have  thought  it  for  a  long  time." 

"Really?" 

"Really." 

The  young  girl  colored  with  pleasure.  For  all 
her  sophisticated  and  independent  manner  she  was 
still  a  child  at  heart.  She  had  no  thoughts  of  mar- 

186 


THE    MASK 


riage,  but  it  flattered  her  to  think  that  she  had  the 
power  to  attract  and  interest  this  serious,  brilliant 
man  of  the  world.  She  said  nothing  more,  re- 
lapsing into  a  meditative  silence  as  she  busied  her- 
self helping  the  maid  to  set  out  the  tea  table. 

To  Helen  it  was  a  source  of  keen  satisfaction  to 
notice  the  attention  which  the  brilliant  young  law- 
yer was  paying  her  sister.  She  had  long  recog- 
nized his  sterling  qualities.  He  was  a  man  of  whom 
any  woman  might  well  be  proud.  He  could  not  but 
make  a  good  husband.  Next  to  Kenneth  and  her 
baby  no  one  was  dearer  to  her  than  Ray  and,  since 
their  mother  died,  she  had  felt  a  certain  sense  of 
responsibility.  To  see  her  well  and  happily  mar- 
ried was  the  one  secret  wish  of  her  life. 

But  overshadowing  these  preoccupations  at  pres- 
ent were  those  other  new  anxieties  which  preyed 
upon  her  sensitive  mind  with  all  the  force  of  an 
obsession.  Was  there  any  part  of  her  husband's 
life  that  he  had  hidden  from  her?  Was  he  really 
as  loyal  as  she  had  always  fondly  and  blindly  be- 
lieved ;  had  his  ambition  led  him  to  take  grave  finan- 
cial risks  that  might  one  day  jeopardize  their  com- 

187 


THE    MASK 


fort  and  happiness,  the  very  future  of  their  child? 

Ray  rose  to  put  away  the  tea  table,  and  she  found 
herself  sitting  alone  with  the  lawyer.  There  was  a 
moment's  silence,  and  then,  as  if  thinking  out  aloud 
what  was  on  her  mind,  she  said : 

"Thank  God,  he's  safe;  I  had  the  most  fearful 
premonitions " 

The  lawyer  laughed. 

"Don't  put  your  trust  in  premonitions — things 
happen  or  they  don't  happen.  It's  absurd  to  believe 
that  misfortunes  are  all  prepared  beforehand." 

"Then  you  are  not  a  fatalist?" 

"Decidedly  not.  I  hope  I  have  too  much  intelli- 
gence to  believe  in  anything  so  foolish." 

"Do  you  believe  in  a  Supreme  Being  who  has 
the  same  power  to  suddenly  snuff  us  out  of  exist- 
ence as  he  had  to  create  us  ?" 

"I  neither  believe  nor  disbelieve.  Frankly,  I  do 
not  know.  What  people  call  God,  Jehovah,  Nature, 
according  to  my  reasoning,  is  an  astounding  energy, 
a  marvellous  chemical  process,  created  and  con- 
trolled by  some  unknown,  stupendous  first  cause, 
the  origin  of  which  man  may  never  understand. 

188 


THE    MASK 


How  should  he  ?  He  has  not  time.  We  are  rushed 
into  the  world  without  preparation.  We  are  ig- 
norant, helpless,  blind.  Gradually,  by  dint  of  much 
physical  labor  and  mental  toil,  we  succeed  in  ferret- 
ing out  a  few  facts  regarding  ourselves  and  the  phy- 
sical laws  that  govern  us.  We  are  just  on  the  verge 
of  discovering  more — we  are  just  beginning  to  un- 
derstand and  enjoy  life — when  suddenly  we  find 
ourselves  growing  old  and  decrepit.  Our  physical 
and  mental  powers  fail  us,  and  the  same  force  that 
benevolently  created  us  now  mercilessly  destroys  us, 
and  we  are  hurled,  willy-nilly,  back  into  eternity 
whence  we  came.  Rather  absurd,  isn't  it?" 

Intensely  interested  Helen  looked  up.  Eagerly 
she  exclaimed: 

"You  have  a  whole  system  of  philosophy  in  a 
mere  handful  of  words,  haven't  you?" 

He  smiled. 

"It's  all  one  needs,  and  perhaps  as  good  as  those 
more  complicated  and  more  verbose." 

More  seriously  and  lowering  her  voice  so  Ray, 
who  was  still  busy  at  the  other  end  of  the  room, 
might  not  overhear,  she  said : 

189 


THE    MASK 


"Mr.  Steell — you  are  so  clever — you  know  all 
about  everything.  Tell  me,  do  you  know  anything 
about  Wall  Street?" 

The  ingenuousness  of  the  question  amused  him. 
With  a  laugh  he  answered : 

"A  little — to  my  sorrow." 

"It's  a  dangerous  place,  isn't  it?" 

"Very;  it  has  a  graveyard  at  one  end,  the  East 
River  at  the  other,  two  places  highly  convenient  at 
times  to  those  who  play  the  game." 

"If  luck  goes  against  him,  a  man  could  lose  his 
all,  then?" 

"Not  only  his  all  but  the  all  of  others,  too — if 
he's  that  kind  of  a  man." 

She  was  silent  for  a  moment.  Then  she  con- 
tinued : 

"And  sometimes  even  fine,  honest  men  are 
tempted,  are  they  not,  to  gamble  with  money  which 
is  not  theirs?" 

"Many  have  done  so.  The  prisons  are  full  of 
them.  There  is  nothing  so  dangerous  as  the  get- 
rich-quick  fever.  All  the  men  who  gamble  in  stocks 
have  it.  It  becomes  a  mania,  an  obsession.  Their 

190 


THE    MASK 


judgment  becomes  warped;  they  lose  all  sense  of 
right  and  wrong." 

"There's  something  else  I  want  to  ask  you. 
What  do  you  think  of  Signer  Keralio?" 

He  hesitated  a  moment  before  he  answered. 
Then,  with  some  warmth,  he  said : 

"As  I  told  you  before,  I  think  he's  a  crook,  only 
we  can't  prove  it.  I've  been  looking  up  his  record. 
It's  a  bad  one.  The  fellow  has  behaved  himself  so 
far  in  New  York,  but  out  West  he  is  known  under 
various  names  as  one  of  the  slickest  rogues  that 
ever  escaped  hanging.  At  one  time  he  was  the 
chief  of  a  band  of  international  crooks  and  black- 
mailers that  operated  in  London,  Paris,  Buenos 
Ayres,  and  the  City  of  Mexico.  The  scheme  they 
usually  worked  was  to  get  some  prominent 
man  so  badly  compromised  that  he  would  pay 
any  amount  to  save  himself  from  exposure, 
and  they  played  so  successfully  on  the  fears 
of  their  victims  that  they  were  usually  success- 
ful." 

A  worried  look  came  into  the  young  wife's  face. 
Perhaps  there  was  more  in  Signer  Keralio's  rela- 

191 


THE    MASK 


tions  with  her  husband  than  she  had  suspected. 
Quickly  she  asked : 

"Why  do  they  permit  a  man  of  that  character  to 
be  at  large?" 

The  lawyer  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"You  can't  proceed  against  a  man  unless  there  is 
some  specific  charge  made.  The  police  have  nothing 
now  against  him.  He  may  have  reformed  for  all  I 
know.  But  that  was  his  record  some  years  ago." 

"I  don't  think  he'll  dare  come  here  again,"  went 
on  Helen.  "He's  exceedingly  offensive,  and  yet  he 
has  about  him  a  certain  magnetism  that  compels 
your  attention,  even  while  his  manner  and  look  re- 
pels and  irritates.  Only  the  other  day  he " 

Before  she  could  complete  the  sentence,  there  was 
a  loud  ring  at  the  front  door  bell.  Helen  hastily 
rose,  but  Ray  had  already  gone  forward. 

"It's  Mr.  Parker,"  she  cried.  "I  saw  him  coming 
from  the  window." 

The  next  instant  the  door  of  the  drawing-room 
was  flung  open  and  Mr.  Parker  appeared. 

"Hallo,  ladies!    Howdy,  Steell!" 

The  president  of  the  Americo-African  Mining 
192 


THE    MASK 


Company  was  not  looking  his  usual  debonair  self 
that  evening.  His  manner  was  nervous  and  flus- 
tered, his  face  pale  and  drawn  with  anxious  lines. 
His  coat  lacked  the  customary  boutonniere,  and  his 
crumpled  linen  and  unshaved  chin  suggested  that 
he  had  come  direct  from  his  office  after  a  strenuous 
day  without  stopping  to  go  through  the  formality 
of  making  a  change  of  attire. 

Helen  was  quick  to  note  the  alteration  in  his  ap- 
pearance, and  her  first  instinct,  naturally,  was  to 
associate  it  with  her  husband.  Something  was 
amiss. 

"There's  nothing  wrong,  is  there?"  she  asked  in 
alarm. 

"No,  no,  my  dear  woman!" 

But  his  tone  was  not  convincing.  He  always 
called  her  "my  dear  woman"  when  nervous  or  ex- 
cited, and  "my  dear  lady"  in  his  calmer  moods. 
She  at  once  remarked  it,  and  it  did  not  tend  to  re- 
assure her.  Now  greatly  alarmed  she  laid  a  trem- 
bling hand  on  his  arm. 

"Tell  me,  please !  Don't  hide  anything  from  me. 
Has  anything  happened  to  Kenneth?" 

193 


THE    MASK 


"No — no ;  of  course  not."  Quickly  changing  the 
subject  he  asked :  "You  got  a  message." 

"Yes — a  cablegram.    It  came  just  now." 

"Have  you  got  it?    Let  me  see  it." 

"Yes,  certainly,"  said  Helen,  looking  around  for 
the  dispatch.  Unable  to  find  it,  she  called  to  her 
sister. 

"Ray,  dear,  what  did  you  do  with  Kenneth's 
cablegram?" 

Her  sister  came  up  to  assist  in  the  search,  in 
which  even  Mr.  Steell  joined.  But  the  search  was 
fruitless.  The  cablegram  had  disappeared. 

"Oh,  I  know!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Ray.  "It 
must  have  been  carried  away  with  the  tea  things." 

"That's  right!  I  never  thought  of  that!"  said 
Helen. 

The  next  instant  the  two  women  hurried  out  of 
the  room  in  the  direction  of  the  kitchen. 

The  instant  they  had  disappeared  Mr.  Parker 
turned  to  the  lawyer.  In  a  whisper  he  said : 

"There  is  terrible  news!  I  don't  know  how  to 
break  it  to  the  poor  woman " 

Steell  sprang  forward.  Anxiously  he  exclaimed : 
194 


THE    MASK 


"Terrible  news?    Surely  not " 

The  president  nodded. 

"Yes — all  lost,  and  the  diamonds,  too.  A  dis- 
patch just  received  in  London  says  that,  accord- 
ing to  a  wireless  relayed  from  Cape  Town,  the 
Abyssinia  caught  fire  twelve  hours  after  sailing 
from  that  port  and  all  on  board  perished.  It  is 
shocking,  and  the  pecuniary  loss  to  us  disastrous. 
The  stones  were  not  insured.  Hush!  Here  they 
come.  Not  a  word!" 

"My  God!"  muttered  the  lawyer,  as  he  fell  back 
and  turned  away,  so  they  might  not  see  the  effect 
which  the  shocking  news  had  made  on  him.  With 
an  effort  he  managed  to  control  himself. 

The  two  women  entered  the  room  joyfully. 

"Here  it  is !"  cried  Helen  exultantly,  as  she  bran- 
dished the  missing  telegram.  "You  see,  he's  just 
sailed,  and  all's  well." 

The  president  said  nothing,  but,  taking  the  dis- 
patch from  her  hands,  slowly  read  it.  Nodding 
his  head,  he  said  slowly: 

"Yes — he's  just  sailed,  and — all's  well." 

"When  do  you  think  he'll  be  here?"  questioned 

195 


THE    MASK 


the  young  hostess,  looking  anxiously  up  into  his 
face. 

The  president  shook  his  head. 

"That  is  hard  to  tell,"  he  answered  evasively. 

Mr.  Steell  had  gone  to  the  window,  where  he 
stood  looking  out,  idly  drumming  his  fingers  on  the 
pane.  How  was  it  possible  to  break  such  fearful 
tidings  as  that?  What  a  horrible  calamity!  He 
wished  himself  a  hundred  miles  away,  yet  some  one 
must  tell  her.  At  that  moment  shrill  cries  arose  in 
the  street  outside — the  familiar,  distressing,  almost 
exultant  cries  of  news-venders,  glad  of  any  calam- 
ity that  puts  a  few  nickels  into  their  pockets. 

"Ex-tra!    Ex-tra!    Special  ex-tra!" 
,   "What's  that?"  exclaimed  Helen  apprehensively. 
The  sound  of  special  editions  always  filled  her  with 
anxiety,  especially  since  Kenneth's  departure. 

"Ex-tra!  Ex-tra!  Special  edition!  Ex-tra! 
Big  steamer  gone  down.  Great  loss  of  life.  Ex- 
tra!" 

Her  face  was  pale,  as  she  turned  and  looked  at 
the  others,  who  also  stood  in  silence,  listening  to 
the  hoarse  accents  of  distress. 

196 


THE    MASK 


"A  steamer  gone  down!"  she  faltered.  "Isn't 
that  terrible  ?  I  wonder  what  steamer  it  was." 

Ray  ran  to  the  door. 

"I'll  get  a  paper,"  she  said. 

Before  Mr.  Parker  or  Mr.  Steell  could  prevent 
her  the  young  girl  had  opened  the  front  door. 
Now  there  was  no  way  of  preventing  Helen  know- 
ing. The  best  thing  was  to  prepare  her  gently. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Traynor — I  didn't  tell  you  the 
trouble  just  now.  There  has  been  a  little  trouble. 
The  Abyssinia " 

Helen  gave  a  cry  of  anguish. 

"I  knew  it !    I  knew  it !    Kenneth  is  dead !" 

"No,  no,  my  dear  lady.  These  newspaper  re- 
ports are  always  grossly  exaggerated.  The  Abys- 
sinia has  met  with  a  little  trouble — nothing  very 
serious,  I  assure  you.  Everything  is  all  right,  no 
doubt.  Your  husband  is  well  able  to  take  care  of 
himself.  We  may  hear  from  him  any  moment,  re- 
assuring us  as  to  his  safety." 

His  words  of  comfort  went  unheeded.  Her  face 
white  as  death  Helen  tottered  rather  than  walked 
to  the  door,  reaching  it  just  as  Ray,  almost  as  pale, 

197 


THH    MASK 


entered,  reading  the  paper  she  had  just  purchased. 
On  seeing  her  sister  she  instinctively  made  an  effort 
to  hide  the  sheet,  but  Helen  quickly  snatched  it  out 
of  her  hand.  Her  hand  trembling  so  violently  that 
she  could  scarcely  make  out  the  letters  she  glanced 
at  the  big  scare-head,  printed  in  red  ink,  to  imitate 
blood,  a  merciful  custom  sensational  newspapers 
have  of  making  the  most  of  the  agony  of  others. 

S.  S.  ABYSSINIA  GONE  DOWN! 
ALL  PERISH! 

For  a  moment  she  stood  still,  looking  at  the  big 
type  with  open,  staring  eyes.  Then,  with  a  low  cry, 
like  a  wounded  animal,  she  let  the  paper  slip  from 
her  nerveless  fingers.  There  was  a  furious  throb- 
bing at  her  temples :  her  heart  seemed  to  stop.  The 
room  spun  round,  and  she  fainted  just  as  Steell 
rushed  forward  to  catch  her  in  his  arms. 

"Brandy!"  Brandy!"  he  shouted.  "She's 
fainted!" 

While  Ray  ran  for  the  smelling  salts  and  Mr. 
Parker  was  bringing  the  brandy  there  came  another 
vigorous  pull  at  the  bell.  An  instant  later  the  maid 

198 


THE    MASK 


entered  with  a  cablegram,  which  Mr.  Parker  seized 
and  tore  open.  As  he  read  the  contents,  a  look  of 
the  greatest  surprise  and  joy  lit  up  his  face. 

"Look  at  this!"  he  cried. 

"What  is  it?"  demanded  Steell,  still  on  his  knees 
trying  to  revive  the  unconscious  woman. 

"This  will  do  her  more  good  than  all  your 
brandy." 

"What  is  it?"  cried  Ray  impatiently. 

"He's  safe!"  cried  Mr.  Parker  exultantly. 

"Safe!"  they  all  cried. 

"Yes — safe."  Handing  the  dispatch  to  the  law- 
yer, he  added :  "Here — read  this." 

Steell  took  the  dispatch  and  read: 

CAPE  TOWN,  Saturday :    Miraculously  saved. 
Sail  to-morrow  on  the  Zanzibar.    KENNETH. 


199 


CHAPTER   XI 

THE  house  of  mourning  had  suddenly  be- 
come transformed  into  a  house  of  joy. 
From  the  deepest  abyss  of  hopeless  de- 
spair Helen,  during  the  next  few  days,  was  raised 
to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  human  felicity.     Ken- 
neth was  safe,  that  was  all  she  wanted  to  know. 
Whether  he  had  succeeded  or  not  in  saving  the  dia- 
monds she  did  not  know  or  care. 

Nothing  more  had  been  heard  from  him.  Cable 
dispatches  reported  the  Zanzibar  to  be  making  good 
time  on  her  way  to  Southampton,  but,  until  the 
steamer  arrived  there,  no  further  details  were  to  be 
expected.  Much,  however,  had  been  gleaned  as  to 
the  fate  of  the  Abyssinia,  and,  as  the  accounts  of 
disaster  began  to  come  in,  she  could  only  thank  God 
that  he  had  succeeded  in  escaping  such  a  fearful 
fate.  The  ship  had  mysteriously  caught  fire  the 
first  day  out  from  Cape  Town,  and,  in  the  excite- 

200 


THE    MASK 


ment,  the  crew,  as  well  as  the  passengers,  lost  their 
heads.  Only  one  boat  could  be  lowered,  and  in  this 
Kenneth  got  away,  together  with  Frangois,  his 
valet,  and  some  other  passengers.  A  news  item  in 
connection  with  the  affair,  which  was  of  particular 
interest  to  Helen,  ran  as  follows : 

"The  loss  of  the  Abyssinia  brought  to  a  tragic 
ending  a  remarkable  romance  in  which  Mr.  Ken- 
neth Traynor,  one  of  the  rescued  passengers  and 
a  prominent  New  York  broker,  is  one  of  the 
principal  figures.  Mr.  Traynor  is  one  of  two 
twins  so  identical  in  appearance  that  no  one,  not 
even  their  own  mother,  knew  them  apart.  One 
of  the  children  mysteriously  disappeared  when  a 
mere  child  and  was  believed  to  be  dead.  Mr. 
Kenneth  Traynor  went  recently  to  South  Africa 
on  business,  and  on  the  diamond  fields  found  in 
starving  condition  an  unlucky  miner  who  was  a 
perfect  counterpart  of  himself.  It  was  his  lost 
brother.  Mutual  explanations  followed  and  the 
identity  was  established.  Overjoyed  at  the  re- 
union the  two  brothers  sailed  for  home  on  the 
Abyssinia.  Suddenly  came  the  alarm  of  fire. 
While  the  panic  on  board  was  at  its  worst,  the 
broker  lost  sight  of  his  brother,  whom  he  never 
saw  again  and  whom  it  is  only  too  certain  went 
down  with  the  ship." 


2O I 


THE    MASK 


"It's  almost  unbelievable,  isn't  it?"  exclaimed 
Helen,  as  she  read  the  paragraph  for  the  hundredth 
time  and  handed  it  to  Wilbur  Steell,  who  had 
dropped  in  to  hear  if  there  was  any  news. 

Ray,  who  loved  a  mystery  better  than  anything 
else  in  the  world,  clapped  her  hands. 

"Isn't  it  perfectly  stunning?" 

"Not  for  Kenneth's  brother — poor  fellow,"  said 
Helen  reprovingly.  "He  did  not  live  long  to  enjoy 
his  bettered  condition." 

"That's  right.  How  thoughtless  of  me!"  said 
Ray  contritely. 

As  he  finished  reading  Mr.  Steell  looked  puzzled. 
Looking  toward  Helen  he  asked : 

"Did  you  know  that  your  husband  had  a  twin 
brother?" 

"I  only  knew  it  recently — just  before  he  sailed. 
He  did  not  know  it  himself." 

"How  did  he  find  it  out?" 

"His  old  nurse  told  him.    I  was  present." 

"Did  the  nurse  know  the  brother  was  in  South 
"Africa?" 

"No — she  had  no  idea  of  it.  I'm  sure  of  that. 
202 


THE    MASK 


It's  one  of  those  wonderful  coincidences  one  some- 
times hears  of." 

The  lawyer  shook  his  head.  Thoughtfully  he 
said: 

"It's  certainly  strange — one  of  the  strangest 
things  I  ever  heard  of." 

"Kenneth  will  be  able  to  tell  us  more  about  it 
when  he  comes,"  said  Ray. 

"Yes — no  doubt,"  asserted  her  sister  quickly. 

The  lawyer  remained  thoughtful  for  a  moment. 
Then,  lightly  he  said: 

"We  ought  to  give  Kenneth  a  rousing  welcome 
home.  After  such  experiences  as  he  has  had  he 
richly  deserves  it." 

Eagerly  Helen  caught  at  the  suggestion. 

"By  all  means!"  she  cried.  "Suppose  we  give  a 
dinner,  followed  by  a  dance." 

"Oh,  lovely!"  said  Ray. 

"The  night  following  his  arrival,"  went  on  Helen 
enthusiastically.  "We'll  make  it  quite  an  affair  and 
invite  everyone  we  know — the  Parkers,  the  Gallo- 
ways, the  Fentons,  everybody " 

"Don't  forget  me!"  interrupted  Steell. 
203 


THE    MASK 


"Oh,  you,  of  course!"  Roguishly  she  added: 
"Aren't  you  one  of  the  family?" 

He  looked  at  her  and  smiled.  In  an  undertone 
which  Ray,  too  busy  looking  at  the  paper,  did  not 
hear,  he  added : 

"Not  yet,  but  I  hope  to  be." 

"The  sooner  the  better,  Wilbur,"  she  said  ear- 
nestly. With  a  significant  glance  at  her  sister  she 
added,  "Don't  let  her  keep  you  waiting  too  long." 

Every  hour  brought  nearer  the  happy  day  when 
they  would  see  Kenneth  again.  A  cablegram  from 
England  reported  that  the  Zanzibar  had  reached 
Southampton.  Closely  following  this  came  a  brief 
message  from  Kenneth  himself,  stating  that  he  was 
on  the  point  of  sailing  for  New  York  on  the  Adri- 
atic. In  five  more  days  he  would  be  in  New  York. 

Expectation  now  reached  fever  heat,  the  excite- 
ment being  communicated  to  everyone  in  the  house. 
Every  time  the  front  door  bell  rang  there  was  a 
rush  downstairs  in  the  hope  that  it  might  be  another 
message. 

Ray,  bubbling  over  with  excitement,  was  almost 
as  eager  as  her  sister. 

204 


"Won't  it  be  jolly  to  go  down  to  the  dock  and 
meet  him?" 

Helen  shook  her  head. 

"I  won't  go  to  meet  him.  I  prefer  to  be  here 
when  he  arrives."  Anxiously  she  added:  "I  hope 
everything  is  all  right." 

"Why  shouldn't  it  be  all  right?" 

Her  sister  was  silent.  It  seemed  absurd,  when 
everything  seemed  to  point  to  her  happiness,  that 
she  should  still  feel  depressed  and  nervous,  but, 
somehow,  she  could  not  shake  off  the  feeling  that 
something  was  wrong.  It  was  certainly  strange 
that  no  letter  had  been  received  from  Kenneth  since 
the  accident.  Yet  perhaps  it  was  wicked  of  her  to 
expect  more.  She  ought  to  be  grateful  that  he  had 
been  spared.  Almost  unconsciously  she  remarked: 

"Isn't  it  strange  that  Ken  hasn't  written  for  so 
long?  I  haven't  had  a  line  from  him  since  he  left 
Cape  Town." 

"Yes — you  have,"  protested  her  sister.  "You 
had  a  cablegram  telling  you  of  his  safety." 

"A  cablegram — yes,  but  no  letter.  I  have  had 
no  letter  since  he  left  Cape  Town." 

205 


THE    MASK 


"That's  true.  But  how  could  he  write?  He  has 
been  traveling  faster  than  the  mails." 

"I  hope  he's  not  hurt." 

"Of  course  not.  You  would  have  heard  it  before 
this.  Bad  news  travels  fast." 

Every  moment  from  now  on  was  devoted  to  get- 
ting the  house  ready  for  the  arrival  of  its  lord  and 
master.  Ray  had  skilfully  fashioned  out  of  red  let- 
ters on  white  paper,  a  big  "Welcome"  sign,  which 
was  to  be  suspended  in  the  hall  on  the  complacent 
horns  of  two  gigantic  moose  heads,  souvenirs  of  a 
month's  vacation  in  the  Adirondacks.  While  this 
was  being  done  downstairs  Helen  busied  herself  in 
the  library  and  bedroom,  getting  ready  the  things 
for  his  comfort — his  dressing-gown,  his  slippers,  his 
pipe.  She  detested  pipes,  as  do  most  women,  but 
she  could  not  refrain  from  giving  this  pipe  a  furtive 
kiss,  as  she  laid  it  lovingly  on  the  table  within  easy 
reach  of  the  arm-chair.  The  maids,  changed  since 
he  went  away,  were  laboriously  instructed  in  what 
they  should  and  should  not  do,  what  towels  should 
be  put  in  the  luxurious  bathroom,  what  pajamas 
should  be  laid  on  the  bed. 

206 


THE    MASK 


Well  Helen  remembered  the  first  time  she  had 
entered  this  bedroom.  Just  married,  in  the  full 
flush  of  her  new-found  happiness,  it  had  all  seemed 
so  beautiful,  so  ideal.  The  dull  pink  color  scheme, 
so  chaste  and  delicate,  the  gracefully  carved  furni- 
ture, so  luxurious  and  elegant,  the  cupids  flying 
above  the  massive  beautifully  carved  bed,  a  veri- 
table bower  of  love — all  this  seemed  only  a  realiza- 
tion of  her  girlhood  dreams  of  what  married  life 
should  be.  And  now  Kenneth  was  coming  back, 
after  his  long  absence  in  South  Africa,  it  would  be 
like  getting  married  all  over  again. 

The  next  four  days  seemed  longer  than  any  Helen 
had  ever  spent  in  all  her  life.  The  delay  was  in- 
terminable. The  minutes  appeared  to  be  like  hours, 
the  hours  like  days.  Having  to  wait  patiently  for 
what  one  desired  so  ardently  was  simply  intolerable. 
She  tried  to  divert  her  mind  by  busying  herself 
about  the  library,  dusting  his  favorite  books,  tidy- 
ing his  papers,  but  constantly  came  back  the 
thoughts  that  filled  her  with  uneasiness,  a  vague, 
undefinable  alarm.  Was  he  all  right? 

At  last  the  great  day  arrived.  A  Western  Union 
207 


THE    MASK 


telegram  announced  that  the  Adriatic  would  dock 
at  2  o'clock.  Long  before  that  time,  Ray,  unable 
to  restrain  her  impatience,  was  on  her  way  down 
town,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Steell,  while  Helen,  her 
face  a  little  paler  than  usual,  her  heart  beating  a 
little  faster,  sat  in  the  great  recessed  window  of  the 
library,  and  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  loved  one. 

Anxiously,  impatiently,  she  watched  the  hands  of 
the  clock  move  round.  How  exasperatingly  slow 
it  was :  how  indifferent  it  seemed  to  her  happiness ! 
If  the  ship  docked  at  two  they  could  hardly  arrive 
at  the  house  until  four.  It  would  take  at  least  two 
hours  to  get  through  the  customs.  Oh,  would  the 
moment  never  come  when  she  would  see  his  dear 
face  and  clasp  him  in  her  arms? 

It  was  nearly  half  past  two  when  suddenly  the 
front  door  bell  rang.  Her  heart  leaping  to  her 
mouth,  she  rushed  to  the  top  of  the  stairs.  It' was 
only  Mr.  Parker,  who  had  dropped  in  on  the  chance 
of  finding  his  associate  already  arrived. 

To-day  the  president  of  the  Americo-African 
Mining  Company  was  in  the  highest  spirits.  Every- 
thing had  gone  according  to  his  expectations.  Ken- 

208 


THE    MASK 


neth  was  home  with  the  big  diamonds  safe  in  his 
possession.  The  directors  could  not  fail  to  give  him 
(Parker)  credit  for  his  sagacity  and  enterprise. 
The  stocks  of  the  company  would  soar  above  par. 
Fortune  was  smiling  on  them  in  no  uncertain  way. 
Was  it  a  wonder  he  was  feeling  in  the  best  of 
humors  ? 

"How  do  you  know  the  diamonds  are  safe?" 
questioned  Helen  anxiously.  "In  such  a  terrible 
panic  as  there  must  have  been  on  that  ship  a  man 
thinks  only  of  saving  himself." 

"Pshaw !"  replied  the  president  confidently.  "I'm 
as  sure  of  it  as  that  I'm  here.  It  was  understood 
that  he  was  never  to  part  with  the  stones  under  any 
circumstances.  They  are  in  a  belt  he  wears  round 
his  waist  next  to  his  skin.  If  the  diamonds  were 
not  here,  Kenneth  would  not  be  here.  Knowing  he 
is  safe  I  am  convinced  that  they  are  safe." 

"Will  you  wait  here  until  he  comes  ?" 

"No,  I  can't.  There's  a  meeting  of  the  directors 
this  afternoon.  I  must  attend.  I'll  call  him  up  on 
the  telephone " 

"But  you  are  coming  to  dinner  this  evening " 

209 


THE    MASK 


"Yes,  yes,  of  course."  With  a  smile  he  added: 
**Now,  don't  get  too  spoony  when  he  comes,  or 
else  Ken  will  have  no  head  for  business." 

"No  fear,"  laughed  Helen.  "We  are  too  long 
married  for  that." 

"Well,  good-bye.     I'll  see  you  later." 

The  president  took  his  hat  and  turned  to  go.  As 
he  reached  the  door  he  turned  round. 

"By  the  bye,  have  you  seen  Signor  Keralio 
lately?" 

Helen's  face  grew  more  serious. 

"No — Signor  Keralio  does  not  call  here  any  more 
—at  my  request." 

The  president  gave  a  low,  expressive  whistle. 
Holding  out  his  hand  he  said : 

"Got  his  walking  papers,  eh?  Well,  I  guess  if 
you  don't  like  him  he  isn't  much  good.  I  never  did 
care  for  the  look  of  him." 

"Why  did  you  ask?"  she  inquired. 

"I  was  just  curious — that's  all.  He's  a  per- 
sistent, uncomfortable  kind  of  man.  I  don't  like 
his  face.  It's  a  face  I  wouldn't  trust " 

"That's  why  he's  not  coming  here  any  more," 
210 


THE    MASK 


she  replied  calmly.  "He  forgot  himself  and  that 
was  the  end " 

The  president  turned  to  go. 

"Well,  good-bye.     Ken  will  be  here  soon." 

"Good-bye." 

He  went  away,  and  once  more  Helen  resumed 
her  lonely  vigil  at  the  library  window,  straining 
her  ears  to  catch  the  direction  of  every  passing  car, 
catching  her  breath  with  suspense  as  each  pedes- 
trian came  into  view.  They  could  not  be  much 
longer.  She  wondered  if  he  had  missed  her  as 
much  as  she  had  him.  No,  men  do  not  feel  these 
things  in  the  way  women  do.  They  are  too  busy — 
their  minds  too  much  preoccupied  with  their  work. 
The  turmoil  of  affairs  absorbed  their  attention. 

The  clock  struck  the  three-quarters,  and  the  re- 
verberations of  the  chimes  had  not  entirely  died 
away,  when  through  the  partly  opened  window 
came  the  sound  of  a  taxicab  suddenly  stopping  in 
front  of  the  door. 

At  last  he  had  come!  It  was  surely  Kenneth. 
Her  bosom  heaving  with  suppressed  excitement  she 
ran  to  the  stairs  and  was  already  in  the  lower  hall 

211 


THE    MASK 


before  the  maid  had  answered  the  bell.  Quickly 
she  threw  open  the  door,  eager  to  throw  herself  in 
the  traveler's  arms.  A  tall  shadow  darkened  the 
doorway.  It  was  Francois,  the  French  valet 

Helen  fell  back  in  dismay. 

"Oh,  it's  you!"  she  exclaimed,  looking  over  his 
shoulder  to  see  if  Kenneth  were  following.  "Where 
is  your  master?" 

A  curious  expression,  half-defiant,  half-cunning, 
came  over  the  servant's  face,  as  he  replied : 

"Monsieur  coming.  He  sent  me  ahead  with  light 
baggage.  He  detained  at  customs." 

"Oh!"  she  exclaimed,  disappointed.  "When  will 
he  be  here?" 

"He  come  presently — perhaps  quarter  of  an 
hour." 

"How  is  your  master?" 

"He  very  well,  except  his  eyes — they  bother  him 
a  leetle." 

Helen  stared  at  him  in  alarm. 

"His  eyes,"  she  exclaimed.  "What  is  the  matter 
with  his  eyes  ?" 

The  valet  avoided  her  direct  gaze,  and,  shifting 
212 


THE    MASK 


uneasily  on  his  feet,  began  to  fuss  with  the  leather 
bags  he  was  carrying.    Awkwardly  he  said : 

"Didn't  madame  hear  ?" 

"Hear  what?"  she  gasped,  now  thoroughly 
alarmed. 

The  man  put  out  his  hand  deprecatingly. 

"Oh,  it's  nothing  to  make  madame  afraid.  It 
will  soon  be  all  right.  I  assure  madame " 

"But  tell  me  what  it  is,  will  you?"  she  inter- 
rupted impatiently.  "Don't  have  so  much  to  say — > 
tell  me  what  it  is " 

"It  was  when  the  ship  caught  fire,  madame.  We 
were  running  to  ze  life-boat,  monsieur  and  me,  when 
suddenly " 

"Well — what?"  she  almost  shouted,  in  agony  of 
suspense. 

"Monsieur  tripped  over  a  coil  of  rope  and 
fell " 

Almost  unconscious  in  her  excitement  of  what 
she  was  doing  Helen  laid  her  hand  on  the  man's 
arm.  Terror-stricken  she  cried: 

"He  didn't  hurt  himself  seriously,  did  he?" 

The  valet  shook  his  head. 
213 


THE    MASK 


"No,  madame — not  seriously.  He  struck  his 
head  against  a  chair  and  just  graze  ze  eye.  It  is 
nothing  serious,  I  assure  madame.  The  doctor  says 
that  if  he  wears  blue  spectacles  for  few  months  he 
will  be  all  right." 

"Oh,  he  wears  blue  spectacles,  does  he  ?" 

"Yes,  madame,  he  must.  Ze  eye  is  inflamed  and 
cannot  stand  ze  strong  light." 

"Poor  Kenneth!"  she  murmured,  half-aloud.  "I 
shall  hardly  know  him  in  blue  spectacles." 

The  valet,  who  had  been  watching  her  like  a 
hawk  out  of  his  half-closed,  sleepy-looking  eyes, 
overheard  the  remark.  Quickly  he  said : 

"Of  course,  madame  must  expect  to  find  mon- 
sieur a  little  changed.  What  we  went  through  was 
epouvantdble,  something  awful.  We  just  escaped 
with  our  lives.  For  days  monsieur  was  so  nervous 
he  was  hardly  able  to  speak  a  word.  Even  now  he 
stops  at  times " 

Helen  looked  at  him  in  wonder. 

"  'He  stops!'    What  do  you  mean?" 

The  valet  turned  away,  and  for  a  moment  was 
silent.  Then,  as  if  making  a  great  effort,  he  turned 
and  said : 

214 


THE    MASK 


"Madame  will  pardon  me,  but  she  must  be  brave 
and  not  show  monsieur  she  notices  any  change.  Ze 
doctor  said  it  was  a  terrible  shock  to  his  nervous 
system — that  fire.  Monsieur  has  not  been  ze  same 
since,  pas  du  tout  ze  same.  Ze  doctor  he  says  that 
these  symptoms  will  all  disappear  once  he  gets  home 
and  has  a  good  rest.  It  is  only  ze  shock,  I  assure 
madame." 

Helen  listened  appalled,  her  face  growing  whiter 
each  moment,  her  lips  trembling.  He  had  met  with 
an  accident,  then,  after  all!  Her  instinct  had 
spoken  truly.  Her  darling  was  ill.  That  explained 
his  long  silence.  He  had  been  too  ill  to  write.  He 
had  gone  through  a  terrible  shock  and  he  had  come 
home  ill,  very  ill,  quite  changed.  Her  voice  falter- 
ing she  said: 

"What  are  the  symptoms?" 

"Monsieur's  memory  is  so  bad,  madame.  He 
forgets.  Only  to-day,  as  ze  ship  came  up  ze 
harbor,  I  ask  monsieur  if  he  expect  madame 
to  meet  us  at  ze  dock.  C'est  vraivient  incroy- 
able!  He  turned  to  me,  with  a  look  of  ze  great- 
est surprise,  and  asked:  'Who  ze  devil  is  ma- 
dame?"' 

215 


THB    MASK 


"What !  Didn't  he  seem  to  remember  me,  even  ?" 
A  look  of  distress  came  over  her  face. 

The  valet  shook  his  head. 

"Non,  madame."  Quickly  he  added :  "But  it  is 
nothing.  It  is  only  temporary." 

"Didn't  he  know  my  sister  and  Mr.  Steell? 
Didn't  they  greet  him  at  the  dock  ?" 

"Yes,  madame.  They  spoke  to  him  and  he  spoke 
to  them.  But  he  was  not  himself.  They  seemed 
surprised.  They  will  tell  madame." 

Helen  fell  back,  sick  and  faint.  Why  had  she  not 
known  this  before?  She  would  have  gone  down 
to  meet  him,  thrown  herself  weeping  into  his  arms. 
He  would  have  known  her  then — who  better  than 
he  would  recognize  that  perfume  he  loved  so  well? 
He  would  have  taken  her  in  his  strong  arms  and 
kissed  her  passionately.  If  he  was  not  himself  it 
was  because  he  was  ill.  The  shock  had  affected  his 
memory!  Poor  darling  husband,  he  must  be  well 
nursed.  A  few  days  of  her  devoted  care  and  he 
would  be  all  right  again.  Of  course,  it  was  nothing 
serious.  Kenneth  had  led  too  clean  and  wholesome 
a  life  for  anything  grave  to  be  the  matter.  If  only 

216 


THE    MASK 


he  would  come !    God  grant  that  he  return  to  her  as 
he  went  away ! 

As  the  unspoken  prayer  died  away  on  her  lips, 
there  was  the  chugging  of  an  automobile  stopping 
suddenly  at  the  curb. 

"Les  void!"  cried  Francois,  dropping  into  his 
native  tongue  in  his  excitement. 

He  threw  open  the  wide  doors  and  the  next  in- 
stant Ray  ran  up  the  steps.  Helen,  weak  and  dizzy 
from  nervous  tension,  feeling  as  if  she  were  about 
to  faint,  met  her  on  the  threshold. 

"Kenneth!"  she  gasped.    "Is  he  all  right?" 

"Certainly — he's  fine.  He's  a  little  tired  and 
nervous  after  the  long  journey,  and  the  blue  spec- 
tacles he  wears  make  him  look  different,  but  he's  all 
right." 

The  wife  looked  searchingly,  eagerly  at  the  young 
girl's  face,  as  if  seeking  to  read  there  what  she 
dreaded  to  ask,  and  it  seemed  to  her  that  the  cus- 
tomary ring  of  sincerity  was  lacking  in  her  sister's 
voice. 

"Where  is  he — why  isn't  he  with  you?" 

"Here  he  is  now— don't  you  see  him?" 
217 


THE    MASK 


Helen  looked  out.  There  came  the  tall,  familiar 
figure  she  knew  so  well,  the  square  shoulders,  the 
thick  bushy  hair,  with  its  single  white  lock  so 
strangely  isolated  among  the  brown.  Her  heart  fell 
as  she  saw  the  blue  glasses.  They  veiled  from  her 
view  those  dear  blue  eyes,  so  kind  and  true.  They 
made  him  look  different.  But  what  did  she  care 
as  long  as  he  had  come  home  to  her?  Even  with 
the  horrid  glasses,  that  dear  form  she  would  know 
in  a  thousand!" 

Slowly  he  came  up  the  long  flight  of  stone  steps, 
weighted  down  by  traveling  rugs  and  handbag,  both 
of  which  he  refused  to  surrender  to  the  obsequious 
Francois.  Eagerly  she  rushed  down  the  steps  to 
meet  him,  her  eyes  half-closed,  ready  to  swoon  from 
excitement  and  joy.  Nothing  was  said.  He  opened 
his  arms.  She  put  up  her  mouth,  tenderly,  submis- 
sively. For  a  moment  he  seemed  to  hesitate.  He 
held  her  tight  in  his  embrace,  and  just  looked  down 
at  her.  Then,  as  he  felt  the  warmth  of  her  soft, 
yielding  body  next  to  his,  and  saw  the  partly  opened 
mouth,  ready  to  receive  his  kiss,  he  bent  down  and 
fastened  his  lips  on  hers. 

218 


CHAPTER  XII 

FOR  one  blissful,  ecstatic  moment  Helen  lay 
tight  in  his  embrace,  nestling  against  the 
breast  of  the  one  being  she  loved  better  than 
anyone  else  in  the  world,  responding  with  in- 
voluntary vibrations  of  her  own  body  to  the  gust 
of  fiery  passion  that  swept  his.  But  only  for  a 
moment.  The  next  instant  she  had  torn  herself 
violently  free,  and  was  gazing,  wonderingly,  fear- 
fully, up  into  his  face,  trying  to  penetrate  those 
glasses  which  veiled,  as  it  were,  the  windows  of  his 
soul.  Why  she  broke  away  so  abruptly  from  his 
embrace  she  could  not  herself  have  explained. 
Something  within  her,  some  instinct  to  which  her 
reason  was  unable  to  give  a  name,  made  her  body 
revolt  against  the  unusual  ardor  of  the  caress. 
Strange !  Never  before  had  she  felt  so  embarrassed 
at  Kenneth's  demonstrations  of  affection. 

"How  are  you,  dear?"  she  murmured,  when  at 
last  she  could  find  words. 

219 


THE    MASK 


She  had  not  yet  heard  the  sound  of  his  beloved 
voice,  and  when  at  last  he  answered  her  it  seemed 
to  her  ears  only  like  an  echo  of  its  former  self,  so 
exhausted  and  wearied  was  he  by  what  he  had  gone 
through. 

"Very  tired,  sweetheart,"  he  replied  huskily.  "I 
shall  need  a  long  rest." 

She  led  the  way  into  the  house  and  up  the  stairs, 
where  everything  had  been  so  elaborately  prepared 
for  his  welcome.  In  the  bedroom  she  pointed  with 
pride  to  the  real  Valenciennes  lace  coverlet  put  on 
in  his  honor,  and  showed  him  the  dressing-gown 
and  slippers  so  lovingly  laid  out.  He  looked  at 
everything,  but  made  no  comment.  She  half  ex- 
pected a  few  words  of  praise,  but  none  were  forth- 
coming. While  affectionately  demonstrative  he  was 
unusually  reticent.  She  wondered  what  worry  he 
could  have  on  his  mind  to  make  him  act  so  strangely 
and  suddenly  Keralio's  words  of  warning  came  to 
her  mind.  Was  there  a  side  to  his  life  of  which  she 
knew  nothing?  Were  his  thoughts  elsewhere,  even 
while  he  was  with  her  ?  Quickly  there  came  a  look 
of  dismay  and  anxiety,  which  he  was  not  slow  to 

220 


THE    MASK 


notice.  Instantly  on  his  guard,  he  murmured  in 
a  low  tone: 

"Forgive  me,  dear,  I  can't  talk  now.  I'm  so 
tired  I  can  hardly  keep  my  eyes  open." 

Instantly  her  apprehension  was  forgotten  in  her 
desire  to  make  him  comfortable. 

"That's  right,  dear.  You  must  be  dead  with  fa- 
tigue. You'll  take  a  nice  nap  and  when  you  wake 
up  it  will  be  time  for  dinner.  I've  planned  a  nice 
little  party  to  celebrate  your  return — only  a  few 
intimates — Mr.  Parker  is  coming,  and  Wilbur 
Steell,  and  a  young  man  named  Dick  Reynolds,  an 
acquaintance  of  Wilbur's.  You  won't  mind  such 
old  friends,  will  you?" 

He  shook  his  head. 

"No,  indeed.  I'm  very  tired,  now,  but  I'll  be  all 
right  in  a  few  minutes." 

"Of  course  you  will,"  she  smiled,  as  she  removed 
the  handsome  lace  coverlet  from  the  bed.  "No  one 
will  disturb  you.  My  darling  hubbie  can  sleep  as 
sound  as  a  top,  and,  when  he  wakes,  we'll  talk  a  ter- 
rible lot,  won't  we?"  Looking  up  roguishly,  as 
she  smoothed  his  pillow  for  him,  she  added  shyly: 

221 


"There  are  two  pillows  here  now.    There  has  been 
only  one  while  you  were  away " 

For  the  first  time  he  seemed  to  evince  interest  in 
what  she  was  saying.  His  eyes  flashed  behind  the 
blue  spectacles,  and  his  hands  trembled,  as  he 
quickly  made  a  step  forward  and  put  his  arm  round 
her  waist. 

"There'll  always  be  two  in  the  future,  won't 
there?"  he  asked  hoarsely. 

"Yes,  of  course  there  will,"  she  laughed. 

"To-night  ?"  he  insisted. 

"Yes,  of  course,"  she  said,  her  color  heightening 
slightly  under  the  persistency  of  his  gaze.  What  a 
foolish  question!  Changing  the  topic  she  added, 
with  a  laugh:  "Now,  take  your  coat  off,  like  a 
good  boy,  and  go  to  sleep.  I'll  go  down  and  keep 
the  house  quiet.  When  it's  time  to  get  up,  I'll 
come  back." 

"Don't  go  yet,"  he  murmured,  looking  at  her  ar- 
dently. Taking  her  hand  caressingly  he  tried  to 
lead  her  to  the  sofa.  "Sit  down  here.  I  won't  sleep 
yet.  Let  us  talk.  I  have  so  much  to  say." 

Firmly  Helen  withdrew  from  his  embrace. 
222 


THE    MASK 


"No,  no;  I  won't  stay  a  moment,"  she  said  de- 
cisively. "Not  now.  You  must  behave  yourself. 
We'll  talk  all  you  want  to  to-night.  But  not  now. 
You  are  very  tired.  The  sleep  will  do  you  good. 
Now  be  a  good  boy — go  to  bed." 

He  tried  to  intercept  her  before  she  reached  tfie 
door,  but  she  was  too  quick  for  him.  She  went  out 
and  was  about  to  close  the  door  behind  her  when 
he  called  out: 

"Please  send  Francois  to  me." 

She  nodded^ 

"Yes,  dear,  I  will.  Of  course  you  need  him. 
Why  didn't  I  think  of  it  before?" 

She  closed  the  door  and  went  downstairs.  It  was 
hard  to  believe  that  he  was  back  home.  How  long 
she  had  waited  for  this  day,  and,  even  now  it  had 
come,  the  void  did  not  seem  filled.  There  still 
seemed  something  wanting.  What  it  was,  she  did 
not  know,  yet  it  was  there. 

In  the  dining-room  she  ran  into  Ray,  who  had  her 
arms  filled  with  magnificent  American  beauty  roses. 

"Oh,  how  beautiful!"  cried  Helen  enthusiasti- 
cally. "Where  did  you  get  those  flowers?" 

223 


THE    MASK 


The  young  girl  laughed.  "They're  a  present  from 
me  and  Wilbur — in  honor  of  Kenneth's  arrival. 
Where  is  he?" 

"Upstairs — he's  going  to  lie  down  until  dinner  is 

ready.    Poor  soul — he's  almost  dead  with  fatigue." 

, 

"Has  he  got  the  diamonds  ?" 

Helen  gasped.  She  hadn't  thought  of  that.  In 
all  the  excitement  the  real  object  of  her  husband's 
trip  to  South  Africa  had  quite  escaped  her  mind. 

"I  don't  know,"  she  said  quickly.  "I  haven't 
asked  him.  We've  hardly  exchanged  a  dozen 
words.  He'll  tell  us  later.  Was  nothing  said  about 
them  at  the  Customs?  Didn't  he  declare  them?" 

"No — I  thought  it  was  strange.  That's  why  I 
asked  you  if  he  had  them.  Possibly  he  left  them  to 
be  cut  in  Amsterdam." 

Helen  grew  thoughtful. 

"I  don't  know.    He'll  tell  us  later." 

Ray  filled  the  vases  with  the  flowers,  while  Helen 
busied  herself  at  the  buffet,  getting  out  all  the  pretty 
silverware  with  which  the  dinner  table  was  to  be 
decorated.  The  young  girl  hummed  lightly  as  she 
decorated  the  room  with  the  fragrant  blossoms. 

224 


THE    MASK 


"Isn't  it  lovely  that  Kenneth  is  back?"  she  ex- 
claimed. 

"Yes,  indeed." 

"I  hardly  knew  him  at  first  in  those  spectacles." 

"I'm  not  surprised  at  that." 

"If  it  hadn't  been  for  that  white  patch  of  hair  I 
don't  think  we  could  have  picked  him  out  of  the 
crowd.  There  was  an  awful  crush  there." 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  Helen  asked : 

"How  do  you  think  he  looks?" 

"About  the  same,"  replied  the  girl  carelessly. 
"He  doesn't  seem  in  as  good  spirits  as  when  he 
went  away.  He  is  very  quiet.  He  hardly  spoke  a 
word  to  us  on  the  way  home.  Possibly  he  has  some 
business  anxiety  on  his  mind." 

"Did  he  ask  about  me?" 

"Yes — you  were  his  first  question." 

"Did  you  tell  him  about  Dorothy?" 

"That  she  was  not  so  well?    Yes." 

"What  did  he  say?    Was  he  worried?" 

"Not  particularly.  I  think  men  are  more  sensi- 
ble in  those  matters  than  we  women.  He  knows 
baby  is  well  taken  care  of."  Changing  the  subject, 

225 


THB    MASK 


the  young  girl  went  on :  "I  hope  everybody  will  be 
jolly  to-night.  I've  made  up  my  mind  to  have  a 
good  time." 

Helen  sighed. 

"I'm  feeling  a  little  uneasy  about  Dorothy.  I  got 
a  letter  this  morning  from  Aunt  Carrie,  saying  she 
was  not  feeling  so  well.  The  doctor  was  going  to 
see  her  to-day,  and,  if  she  got  worse,  they  said 
they'd  telegraph." 

Ray  looked  at  her  sister  in  consternation. 

"What  would  you  do  then?" 

"I  would  have  to  go  at  once  to  Philadelphia." 

"And  Kenneth  just  come  home — oh,  Helen!" 

"I  couldn't  help  it.  Kenneth  couldn't  go.  Some- 
body must  go.  The  child  could  not  be  left  alone. 
Who  should  go  better  than  its  mother?" 

Ray  made  a  gesture  of  protest. 

"Well,  don't  let's  imagine  the  worst.  Dorothy 
won't  get  worse.  To-morrow  you'll  get  a  reassur- 
ing letter,  and  your  worries  will  be  over." 

"I  hope  so,"  smiled  Helen. 

Leaving  the  task  of  sorting  the  knives  and  forks 
Ray  came  over  to  where  Helen  was  standing.  The 

226 


THH    MASK 


young  girl  pointed  to  all  the  vases  filled  with  the 
crimson  roses. 

"How  do  you  like  that?"  she  exclaimed. 

"Beautiful!" 

There  was  a  brief  silence,  both  women  being  pre- 
occupied by  their  thoughts,  when  Ray,  in  her  usual 
vivacious,  impulsive  way,  burst  out: 

"Sis,  I  have  something  to  tell  you." 

Helen  looked  up  quickly. 

"Something  to  tell  me — something  good?" 

i . 
"I'm  so  happy!    I'm  engaged  at  last." 

"To  Wilbur,  of  course?" 

"Yes." 

Helen  gave  an  exclamation  of  joy. 

"Oh,  I'm  so  glad.  When  did  it  happen?  Tell 
me  all  about  it — quick." 

"He  proposed  to-day,  and  I  said  yes.  We're  to 
be  married  in  two  months." 

The  next  moment  the  two  women  were  in  each 
other's  arms. 

"I'm  so  glad — so  glad,"  murmured  Helen.  "I 
hope  you'll  both  be  very,  very  happy." 

"We  certainly  shall  if  we  are  like  you  and  Ken- 
227 


THE    MASK 


neth.  Wilbur  says  that  your  example  is  the  one 
thing  that  decided  him  to  make  the  plunge." 

Helen  smiled. 

"You'll  have  one  advantage  I  don't  enjoy.  Your 
husband,  being  a  lawyer,  won't  be  taking  trips  to 
South  Africa  all  the  time." 

"Oh,  I  don't  know,"  laughed  the  girl ;  "it's  some- 
times nice  to  lose  sight  of  each  other  for  a  time. 
The  lovemaking  is  all  the  more  furious  when  your 
husband  gets  back." 

"Yes — unless  he  happens  to  meet  some  other 
charmer  on  his  travels." 

"Oh,  nonsense,  Helen — men  don't  really  have 
such  adventures.  That  only  happens  in  novels." 

"I  hope  so,"  murmured  her  sister. 

"Oh,  by  the  bye,"  exclaimed  Ray,  "who  do  you 
suppose  we  saw  on  the  dock?" 

"Who?" 

"That  horrid  creature — Signer  Keralio." 

Helen  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"Keralio?  What  was  he  doing  there?  Did  he 
speak  to  you?" 

"No — he  seemed  to  avoid  us.  Once  I  got  lost  for 
228 


THE    MASK 


a  moment  in  the  crush,  and,  as  I  turned,  I  thought 
I  saw  him  talking  earnestly  to  Kenneth  and  Fran- 
Qois.  Of  course  I  must  have  been  mistaken,  for, 
when  I  finally  rejoined  them,  both  denied  having 
seen  him !" 

"Keralio!"  murmured  Helen.  "How  strange! 
That  man  seems  to  pursue  us  like  some  evil  genius. 
No  matter  where  we  go,  he  follows  like  a  shadow. 
Oh,  I  forgot  all  about  Francois.  Where  is  he  ?" 

"Downstairs." 

Helen  touched  a  bell. 

"Why  do  you  need  him?" 

"Kenneth  wants  him.  I  forgot  all  about  it.  All 
his  things  need  putting  away.  The  litter  upstairs 
is  simply  terrible." 

"There  won't  be  much  time  for  unpacking,"  ob- 
jected Ray.  "It's  half-past  five  already.  We'll 
soon  have  to  think  of  dressing  for  dinner." 

Suddenly  the  door  opened  and  Francois  appeared. 
He  entered  quietly,  stealthily,  and,  advancing  to 
where  his  mistress  was,  stood  in  silence,  awaiting 
her  orders. 

"Your  master  wants  you  upstairs,  Frangois." 
229 


THE    MASK 


The  man  bowed. 

"Bien,  madame!" 

"Tell  Mr.  Traynor  not  to  keep  you  too  long,  be- 
cause there's  a  lot  of  work  to  be  done  downstairs 
before  dinner." 

"Bien,  madame." 

The  man  lingered  in  the  room,  arranging  the 
chairs,  and  fussing  about  the  table,  until  he  began 
to  make  Helen  nervous.  Peremptorily  she  said: 

"You  had  better  go,  Francois;  monsieur  is  wait- 
ing for  you." 

The  valet  bowed  obsequiously,  and  left  the  room, 
shutting  the  door  carefully.  Instead  of  proceeding 
immediately  upstairs,  he  stopped  for  a  moment  be- 
hind the  closed  door  and  listened  intently.  But,  un- 
able to  overhear  the  two  women,  who  were  con- 
versing in  an  undertone,  he  hurried  upstairs  toward 
his  employer's  bedroom.  Arrived  on  the  landing, 
he  went  straight  to  the  room,  and,  without  stop- 
ping for  the  formality  of  knocking,  he  turned  the 
handle  and  went  in. 


230 


CHAPTER  XIII 

INSTEAD  of  finding  his  master  resting  from 
his  fatigue,  as  Mrs.  Traynor  had  said,  Fran- 
cpis   discovered  the   new   arrival  very   much 
awake.    He  was  sitting  in  front  of  Helen's  bureau, 
eagerly  perusing  a  bundle  of  private  letters  tied 
with   blue    ribbon,    which   he   had   taken    from   a 
drawer.    As  the  door  opened,  he  jumped  up  quickly, 
as  if  detected  committing  a  dishonorable  action; 
but,  when  he  saw  who  it  was,  his  face  relaxed  and 
he  gave  a  grim  nod  of  recognition. 

"Lock  the  door!"  he  said  in  a  whisper.  "It  won't 
do  to  have  anyone  come  in  here  now." 

The  valet  turned  the  key,  and,  dropping  entirely 
the  obsequious  manner  of  the  paid  menial,  threw 
himself  carelessly  into  a  chair.  Taking  from  his 
pocket  a  richly  chased  silver  cigarette  box,  loot 
from  former  houses  where  he  had  been  employed, 
he  struck  a  match  on  the  highly  polished  Circassian 
walnut  chair,  and  proceeded  to  enjoy  a  smoke. 

231 


THE    MASK 


His  companion  looked  at  him  anxiously. 

"Well?"  he  demanded  hoarsely.  "Is  it  all  right? 
What  do  they  say?  Does  anyone  suspect?" 

The  Frenchman  gracefully  emitted  from  between 
his  thin  lips  a  thick  cloud  of  blue  smoke,  and  broke 
into  a  laugh  that,  under  the  circumstances,  sounded 
strangely  hollow  and  sinister. 

"Suspect?"  he  chuckled.  "Why  should  they  sus- 
pect ?  Are  you  not  ze  same  man  who  went  away — 
ze  same  build,  ze  same  face,  ze  same  voice,  ze  same 
in  every  particular — except  one.  Zat  you  have  not 
— non — you  have  not  ze  education,  ze  fine  manners, 
ze  savoir  faire  of  monsieur."  With  that  expressive 
shrug  of  the  shoulder,  so  characteristic  of  his  na- 
tion, he  added :  "Mais  que  voulez  vous?  We  must 
do  ze  best  we  can." 

His  listener  struck  the  brass  bed-post  savagely 
with  his  heavy  fist.  With  a  burst  of  profanity  he 
broke  out : 

"Yes,  damn  him !  He  had  all  the  advantages.  I 
had  none.  But  it's  my  turn  now.  I  want  all  that's 
coming  to  me." 

"Hush!"  exclaimed  the  valet,  raising  his  finger 
232 


THE    MASK 


warningly.  "Zey  may  hear.  Everything  will  be 
all  right.  We  must  be  very  careful.  You  must  not 
talk.  You  must  avoid  people.  Let  them  think  you 
sick,  or  strange,  or  crazy,  anything  you  like.  But 
keep  away  from  zem,  or  else  they  soon  discover 
that  'Handsome  Jack/  ze  penniless  adventurer,  is 
quite  a  different  person  from  ze  accomplished  and 
wealthy  Monsieur  Kenneth  Traynor." 

"We  can't  expect  to  keep  the  game  up  long,"  in- 
terrupted the  big  fellow  moodily. 

"We  won't  have  to,"  replied  his  companion 
calmly.  "Just  enough  time  to  squeeze  ze  orange 
dry— that's  all " 

Handsome  looked  up  quickly.  Savagely  he  re- 
torted : 

"Of  which  juice  you  and  Keralio  want  a  goodly 
share,  don't  you  ?" 

The  valet's  greenish  eyes  flashed. 

"Of  course  I  do,  and,  what's  more,  I  mean  to  get 
it"  Changing  his  free,  careless  tone  to  one  tense 
with  significance  and  menace  he  went  on:  "Don't 
be  a  fool,  Monsieur  Handsome.  Who  put  you  up 
to  this  snap,  but  me?  Who  knows  what  you  did 

233 


THE    MASK 


to  monsieur  out  there  on  ze  veldt,  better  than  me? 
Dead  men  tell  no  tales,  but  live  ones  do.  Don't 
forget  that!  If  you  want  to  keep  clear  of  ze  elec- 
tric chair,  you'll  keep  your  mouth  shut,  and  play 
fair." 

The  gambler  listened,  his  mouth  twitching  ner- 
vously, his  eyes  glowing  with  sullen  hatred. 

"What  do  you  and  Keralio  want?  I  gave  you 
the  diamonds — what  more  do  you  expect?" 

The  valet  laughed  scoffingly. 

"You  gave  him  ze  diamonds.  Why?  You  were 
d d  glad  to  be  rid  of  zem.  We  can't  do  any- 
thing with  zem  now.  We  may  have  to  wait  months 
or  years  before  we  can  venture  to  cut  zem  up  and 
dispose  of  zem.  Non,  monsieur!  If  zey  appeared 
on  ze  market  now,  ze  news  would  be  flashed  imme- 
diatement  to  every  corner  of  ze  globe,  and  your 
career  and  mine  would  come  to  a  quick  end. 
Voila!" 

"Don't  forget  Keralio!"  said  Handsome,  with  a 
sneer. 

"Eh}  bienf  Has  he  not  earned  it,  Signor  Ke- 
ralio? Is  it  not  because  of  his  courage  and  daring 

234 


THE    MASK 


that  you  are  here — ze  master  in  this  house?  Who 
but  Keralio  would  have  had  ze  nerve  to  carry  ze 
thing  through?" 

Handsome  shrugged  his  shoulders.  Cynically  he 
said: 

"Oh,  I  don't  know.  It  seems  to  me  that  Keralio 
is  safe  under  cover,  while  here  I  am,  disporting 
myself  in  the  limelight,  with  every  eye  turned  on 
me.  I  guess  I  prefer  Keralio's  job  to  mine " 

The  valet's  eyes  flashed  vindictively  as  he  re- 
torted : 

"Could  your  puny  brain  have  conceived  this 
scheme  which  will  make  us  all  rich?  Keralio  out- 
lined ze  whole  plan  to  me  directly  he  heard  of  your 
existence.  On  our  reaching  Cape  Town,  after  find- 
ing you  starving  on  ze  veldt,  I  cabled  him  ze  news. 
A  few  hours  later  he  told  me  exactly  what  to  do. 
He  knew  you  would  do  it.  How,  I  do  not  know. 
He  is  no  ordinary  man,  Keralio.  When  I  first  saw 
you  out  zere,  unkempt,  in  rags,  starving,  I  could 
have  dropped  dead  from  surprise.  It  never  oc- 
cured  to  me  that  you  might  be  useful.  But  Keralio 
knew.  He  knows  everything.  He  also  knew  that 

235 


THE    MASK 


you  would  accept  his  leadership,  that  you  would 
quickly  get  rid  of  monsieur,  and  secure  ze  dia- 
monds. Was  it  not  his  idea  that  you  set  fire  to  ze 
ship?  And  who  set  fire  to  ze  ship,  s'il  vous  plait, 
when  you  refused?  Who  but  your  very  humble 
servant.  And  a  hard,  dangerous  job,  it  was,  too— r 
catch  me  ever  wanting  to  do  it  again !" 

"Not  half  so  bad  as  mine.  He  put  up  a  terrible 
fight  before  I  threw  him  overboard." 

"Who — monsieur  ?" 

"Yes — he  fought  like  a  wildcat,  and  he  was  fast 
getting  the  best  of  me,  when  I  managed  to  give 
him  a  rap  on  the  head.  That  quieted  him,  and  over 
he  went."  With  an  exclamation  of  disgust,  he  ad- 
ded: "It  was  a  d d  nasty  job.  I'm  sorry  I 

ever  went  into  it " 

"Sorry — you  fool  ?  Sapristi!  Just  think  of  this 
wonderful  opportunity.  You  have  ze  keys  to  his 
vaults,  you  have  control  of  his  bank  accounts." 
Lowering  his  voice,  and,  with  a  significant  leer  on 
his  face,  he  added  "and  you  have — his  wife!" 

Handsome  grinned,  and  the  valet  went  on : 

"Precisement!  Madame  is  cold  and  haughty,  like 
236 


THE    MASK 


all  zese  American  women.  It's  not  exactly  my  taste, 
but  she's  pretty  and  dainty,  and " 

"Who  are  all  these  other  people,"  interrupted  the 
miner,  "that  man  Steell " 

"Yes,  that  is  so.  You  must  know  everyone.  You 
must  make  a  study  of  each,  so  as  to  avoid  making 
bad  breaks.  Monsieur  Steell  is  a  lawyer.  He's  in 
love  with  madame's  sister,  Miss  Ray.  You've 
known  him  all  your  life,  went  to  school  with  him, 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  Say  'yes'  to  everything 
he  says.  That's  your  cue  at  present.  Talk  as  little 
as  you  can,  and  agree  with  everybody.  The  man 
you  must  talk  with  most  is  Monsieur  Parker.  He  is 
president  of  the  mining  company.  Happily  he's 
rather  shortsighted,  so  he  won't  notice  anything. 
He's  the  man  to  whom  you'll  have  to  explain  ze 
loss  of  ze  diamonds.  He'll  be  here  to-night  for 
dinner,  so  you'd  better  get  your  story  ready." 

"What  can  I  say?" 

"Say  that  in  ze  panic  your  belt  worked  loose, 
you  had  to  dive  into  ze  water.  When  you  were 
dragged  into  ze  lifeboat  the  belt  was  gone,  do  you 
understand  ?" 

237 


THB    MASK 


"Yes — but  will  they  believe  it?" 

"They  must  believe  it.  There'll  be  an  awful  fuss, 
of  course,  but  they'll  get  over  it.  No  suspicion  can 
attach  to  you." 

"He's  coming  to-night — this  man  Parker?" 

"Yes,  to-night  He'll  be  here  for  dinner. 
He " 

Before  the  valet  could  complete  the  sentence 
there  was  a  knock  on  the  door  and  Helen  outside 
called  out: 

"May  I  come  in?" 

Instantly  the  valet  jumped  up  and  assumed  once 
more  his  deferential  demeanor.  The  gambler  hur- 
riedly shut  the  bureau  drawers  and  put  on  the  blue 
spectacles. 

The  door  opened  and  Helen  entered. 

Alert  as  the  Frenchman  was,  he  was  not  quick 
enough  to  quite  conceal  from  the  wife  that  his  pres- 
ent obsequious  manner  had  been  suddenly  assumed 
for  her  benefit  directly  she  had  entered  the  room. 
She  had  overheard  voices,  as  she  reached  the  land- 
ing, and  the  abrupt  manner  in  which  these  sounds 
had  ceased  was  not  entirely  natural.  It  had  also 

238 


THE    MASK 


seemed  to  her  that  the  valet's  tone  had  had  a  ring 
of  familiarity  about  it  which  she  had  never  known  it 
to  have  before.  Could  it  be  possible  that  they  were 
discussing  matters  which  were  to  be  kept  from  her? 
If  so,  her  husband  already  had  secrets  in  which 
not  she  but  his  valet  shared.  She  recalled  Keralio's 
cynical  smile,  as  he  had  whispered:  "Husbands 
only  tell  their  wives  half."  Perhaps  he  had  spoken 
the  truth.  Perhaps  at  this  very  moment  she  was 
degraded,  insulted  in  her  womanhood  by  a  man  who 
was  secretly  unloyal  to  her.  The  very  thought  went 
through  her  like  a  knife-thrust.  All  her  life,  every 
hour  she  had  devoted  to  her  husband.  Even  now 
she  did  not  like  to  even  harbor  a  shade  of  distrust, 
but  his  strange  behavior  since  his  return,  this  ear- 
nest conversation  behind  closed  doors  with  a  menial 
she  despised  and  distrusted — all  this  could  not  but 
add  to  her  anxiety.  Calmly,  she  asked: 

"Have  you  finished  with  Francois,  dear?     We 
need  him  downstairs." 

The  valet  himself  answered  the  question : 

"Old,  madame.    I  was  just  coming." 

Bowing  politely,  he  turned  on  his  heel,  and,  with 

239 


THE    MASK 


a  significant  glance  at  Handsome,  which  his  mis- 
tress did  not  notice,  he  left  the  room.  Helen 
glanced  at  the  bed,  which  was  undisturbed.  Sur- 
prised, she  exclaimed: 

"Why,  I  thought  you  were  going  to  lie  down!" 

He  shook  his  head.  Shifting  uneasily  on  his  feet, 
and,  without  looking  up,  he  answered : 

"No — I  can't  sleep.  I'm  too  nervous.  I'll  sleep 
to-night." 

Advancing  farther  into  the  room  she  went  up  him 
and  put  her  arm  affectionately  round  him.  Sympa- 
thetically she  said: 

"You'll  feel  better  in  a  few  days,  dear.  Just 
rest  and  take  things  easy.  I  won't  hear  of  your 
going  to  the  office  for  a  week  at  least.  All  the  busi- 
ness you  and  Mr.  Parker  have  you  can  transact 
here.  By  the  way,  dear,  you  haven't  even  mentioned 
the  most  important  thing  of  all — have  you  brought 
back  the  diamonds?" 

Instead  of  replying  at  once  to  her  question,  he 
turned  quickly  and  pulled  down  the  blind. 

"You  don't  mind,  do  you?"  he  said.  "The  light 
hurts  my  eyes." 

240 


THB    MASK 


"Of  course  not,"  she  replied.  Sitting  down  near 
him  she  went  on :  "Tell  me — have  you  got  the  dia- 
monds? How  beautiful  they  must  be!  How  I 
should  love  to  see  them!" 

When  finally  he  turned  and  confronted  her  she 
could  see  his  face  only  indistinctly,  as  the  drawing 
of  the  blind  had  left  the  room  almost  in  darkness. 
His  voice  was  strained  and  tense  as  he  replied 
huskily : 

"I  have  not  got  the  diamonds !" 

Helen  almost  started  from  her  seat. 

"You  have  not  got  them!"  she  exclaimed. 
"Where  are  they,  Ken?" 

"They  are  lost!" 

"Lost?"  she  echoed,  stupefied. 

"Yes—lost." 

"Oh,  how  terrible!"  she  faltered. 

This,  then,  was  the  secret  of  his  strange  manner, 
his  depression  and  nervousness.  He  had  lost  the 
diamonds.  He  had  returned  home  to  announce  to 
the  eagerly  awaiting  stockholders  that  over  a  mil- 
lion dollars'  worth  of  property  had  suddenly  been 
swept  away.  His  feeling  of  personal  responsibility 

241 


THE    MASK 


must  have  been  awful.  No  wonder  he  was  not  him- 
self. It  was  enough  to  unnerve  any  man.  Of 
course  he  was  not  to  blame,  but  the  world  is  so 
merciless.  He  would  liave  to  bear  the  censure,  even 
when  he  was  perfectly  innocent.  How  she  regret- 
ted that  he  had  ever  undertaken  so  heavy  a  respon- 
sibility. Timidly,  not  wishing  to  embarrass  or  an- 
noy him,  she  said: 

"How  did  it  happen,  dear?" 

For  a  moment  he  made  no  answer,  but  just  sat 
and  stared  at  her.  What  little  light  entered  between 
the  shade  and  the  window  frame  fell  full  on  her 
face,  lighting  up  the  fine  profile,  the  delicately  chi- 
seled mouth,  throwing  off  golden  glints  from  her 
artistically  arranged  hair.  From  her  face  his  eyes 
wandered  greedily  down  to  her  snow-white  neck, 
her  slender,  graceful  figure,  her  beautifully  molded 
arms.  Certainly,  he  mused  to  himself,  his  brother 
was  an  epicure  in  love.  This  woman  was  dainty 
enough  to  tempt  a  saint. 

"How  did  it  happen?"  she  asked  again. 

"It  was  in  the  first  rush  from  the  burning  ship," 
he  said  hoarsely.  "I  was  asleep  when  the  fire  broke 

242 


THE    MASK 


out.  It  happened  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
The  diamonds  were  in  the  belt  which  each  night  I 
unfastened  and  put  under  my  pillow.  It  was  more 
comfortable  to  do  that  than  to  wear  it.  When  the 
first  alarm  came  I  forgot  everything — except  my 
own  safety.  I  rushed  pell-mell  on  deck.  It  was  a 
nasty  night.  We  didn't  know  where  we  were,  or 
how  grave  the  situation  was.  Outside  the  wind  was 
howling  furiously,  the  "siren  was  blowing  dismally, 
the  panic-stricken  passengers  and  sailors  were  fight- 
ing like  wildcats.  I  lost  my  head  along  with  the 
rest.  I  had  reached  the  lifeboat  when  suddenly  I 
remembered  the  belt.  I  felt  at  my  waist.  It  was 
not  there.  I  remembered  I  had  left  it  under  the 
pillow.  I  was  horror-stricken.  Great  beads  of  per- 
spiration broke  from  every  pore.  The  people  were 
fighting  to  get  into  the  boat;  I  fought  to  get  out 
and  back  to  my  stateroom.  Suddenly  someone 
knocked  me  on  the  head.  I  lost  consciousness. 
When  I  came  to  we  were  miles  away  from  the 
wreck,  drifting  on  the  ocean  in  an  open  boat,  and 
the  Abyssinia  was  nowhere  to  be  seen." 
Helen  made  an  exclamation  of  sympathy. 

243 


THE    MASK 


"Poor  soul — how  terrible  you  must  have  felt! 
Thank  God,  you  escaped  with  your  life !  We  ought 
to  feel  grateful  for  that.  Suppose  I  had  been  com- 
pelled to  tell  Mary  that  you  were  drowned.  It 
would  have  killed  her — you  know  that.  Do  you 
remember  what  you  told  her  when  you  went 
away  ?" 

He  stared  at  her,  not  understanding. 

"Told  who?"  he  said  cautiously. 

"Mary." 

"Oh,  yes — Mary — of  course — you  mean  your  sis- 
ter  " 

Helen  looked  at  him  in  amazement,  then  in 
alarm.  Could  the  wreck  have  affected  his  mind? 
Laughingly  she  retorted: 

"Ray?  Of  course  not.  How  foolish  you  are, 
Kenneth.  Don't  you  remember  that  your  old  nurse 
came  to  see  you  before  you  sailed  ?" 

He  nodded  and  coughed  uneasily,  moving  rest- 
lessly about  in  his  chair,  as  if  to  hide  his  embarrass- 
ment. These  questions  were  decidedly  unpleasant. 
Inwardly  he  wished  Frangois  was  present  to  help 
him  out 

244 


THE    MASK 


"Mary?  Oh,  yes,  I  remember — of  course — of 
course " 

The  look  of  anxiety  in  the  young  woman's  face 
deepened.  His  memory  failed  him  completely. 
Changing  the  subject  she  said  quickly: 

"There's  something  else  I  wish  to  mention  to  you, 
dear.  It  is  about  Signer  Keralio " 

He  started  quickly  to  his  feet.  How  came  his 
brother's  wife  to  know  the  name  of  the  arch-plotter, 
the  man  who  had  sentenced  her  own  husband  to 
death  ?  Was  it  possible  that  she  knew  more  ?  Was 
she  aware  of  his  real  identity?  Was  her  present: 
amiability  of  manner  merely  simulated?  Was  she 
waiting  her  time  before  calling  in  the  police  and 
exposing  him  as  an  impostor? 

"Keralio?"  he  echoed  hoarsely.  "What  about 
Keralio?"  Making  a  step  forward  he  exclaimed 
savagely:  "Has  he  squealed?  Is  the  game  up? 
He's  to  blame,  not  I !" 

Impulsively,  instinctively,  Helen  sprang  from  her 
chair  and  fell  back  with  a  startled  exclamation. 
Now  thoroughly  alarmed,  more  than  ever  con- 
vinced that  the  shipwreck  had  affected  his  brain,  her 

245 


run  MASK 


one  solicitude  was  to  keep  him  quiet  until  she  could 
get  a  doctor.    Soothingly  she  said: 

"Of  course,  dear;  of  course.  We  won't  speak  of 
Signer  Keralio  now.  He's  not  worth  discussing 
anyhow." 

He  watched  her  closely  for  a  moment,  as  if  try- 
ing to  see  if  she  were  deceiving  him,  but  her  face 
was  frank  and  serene.  Suddenly,  taking  hold  of 
her  hand,  which  she  abandoned  willingly  enough  in 
his,  he  murmured : 

"You  mustn't  mind  what  I  say.  I'll  soon  be  all 
right.  I'm  a  bit  mixed  up.  My  mind's  been  queer 
ever  since  that  awful  night." 

"Perhaps  you  would  prefer  if  we  had  no  one  to 
dinner.  I  could  easily  give  some  excuse  and  put 
them  all  off." 

His  first  impulse  was  to  promptly  accept  this  sug- 
gestion, yet  what  was  the  good?  If  he  did  not  meet 
them  to-day  he  must  do  so  to-morrow.  It  was  best 
to  get  it  over  with.  The  quicker  he  got  to  know 
the  people  the  easier  it  would  be  for  him.  If  he 
seemed  to  avoid  meeting  them,  it  might  only  arouse 
suspicion.  Shaking  his  head,  he  said : 

246 


THE    MASK 


"No,  dear.  That's  all  right.  I'm  glad  they're 
coming.  It  will  liven  things  up." 

Helen's  face  brightened.  It  was  the  first  cheerful 
remark  he  had  made. 

"That's  what  I  think.  You  must  forget  what 
you  have  gone  through.  After  all  it's  not  so  bad, 
but  it  might  be  a  lot  worse.  Mr.  Parker  will  feel 
badly  about  the  stones,  of  course,  because  he  had 
counted  on  making  capital  out  of  the  advertising 
they  would  receive.  But  who  knows  ?  Perhaps  it's 
all  for  the  best.  They  may  find  other  stones  even 
more  valuable." 

A  sudden  knock  at  the  door  interrupted  them. 

"Come  in,"  called  out  Helen. 

The  maid  appeared. 

"Mr.  Parker  is  downstairs,  m'm." 

"Good  gracious!  Here  already  for  dinner. 
What  time  is  it?" 

"Seven  o'clock,  m'm." 

"All  right.     I'll  be  down  immediately." 

The  girl  went  away  and  Helen  turned  to  her  com- 
panion. 

"Now,  hurry,  dear,  won't  you?  Dinner  is  ready. 
247 


THE    MASK 


The  guests  are  arriving.  Dress  quickly  and  come 
down." 

He  still  held  her  hand. 

"You're  not  angry  with  me?"  he  whispered. 

"Why  should  I  be  angry?" 

"Because  of  the  diamonds." 

"No,  indeed — it  was  you  I  wanted,  not  the  dia- 
monds." 

Drawing  her  to  him,  he  kissed  her.  But  her  lips 
were  cold.  There  was  no  response  to  his  ardor. 
She  could  not  herself  have  explained  why.  She 
felt  no  inclination  to  respond  to  his  caresses,  which 
at  any  other  time  she  would  have  returned  with 
warmth.  With  a  slight  shade  of  impatience  she 
broke  away. 

"We  have  no  time  for  that  now,  Kenneth.  Our 
guests  are  waiting." 

"That's  right,"  he  replied,  with  a  smile  that  did 
not  escape  her.  "We've  no  time  now.  But  the 
night  is  still  before  us." 

"Will  you  come  soon?" 

"Yes— I'll  be  right  down." 


248 


CHAPTER  XIV 

ONCE  more  the  Traynor  residence  was  filled 
with   the   sounds   of  mirth   and  revelry. 
From  cellar  to  attic  the  old  mansion  was 
ablaze  with  light.     The  large  dining-room,  deco- 
rated with  flowers  and  plants,  wore  a  festive  air, 
and  the  long  table  in  the  center  literally  groaned 
under  its  burden  of  fine  linen,  crystal,  and  silver. 

The  dinner,  now  drawing  to  a  close,  had  been  a 
huge  success  in  every  way,  and,  with  the  serving  of 
the  demi-tasse,  the  guests  sat  back  in  their  chairs, 
feeling  that  sense  of  gluttony  satisfied  which  only  a 
perfect  dinner  can  impart.  The  rarest  wines,  the 
richest  foods — Helen  had  spared  no  expense  to 
make  the  affair  worthy  the  occasion. 

As  Mr.  Parker  sat  back  and  with  deliberation  lit 
the  big  black  Corona,  which  his  host  had  given  him, 
he  felt  as  much  at  ease  as  can  a  man  who  has  dined 
well  and  knows  that  his  affairs  are  prospering  be- 

249 


THE    MASK 


yond  all  expectations,  and,  as  his  eyes  half  closed, 
he  listened  dreamily  while  his  host,  for  the  hun- 
dredth time,  told  yarns  of  the  diamond  fields,  he 
silently  congratulated  himself  on  his  astuteness  in 
having  employed  so  successful  a  messenger.  He 
had  not  yet  had  an  opportunity  to  ask  any  questions 
about  the  diamonds.  He  had  his  own  reasons  for 
not  wanting  those  present  to  learn  too  much  of  his 
plans.  There  would  be  plenty  of  time  when  he 
could  get  the  vice-president  alone.  So  he  just  sat 
back  and  puffed  his  cigar,  while  around  him  went 
on  the  hum  of  conversation,  punctuated  here  and 
there  with  bursts  of  laughter. 

Considering  his  short  stay  at  the  diamond  mines 
it  was  astonishing  how  well  stocked  their  host  was 
with  stories.  To  hear  him  talk  one  might  have 
thought  he  had  been  a  miner  all  his  life.  Stimulated 
by  copious  draughts  of  champagne,  which  he  con- 
trived to  make  flow  like  water,  he  was  highly  inter- 
esting, and  his  listeners,  greatly  interested,  hung  on 
to  every  word. 

"It  must  be  a  terrible  life!"  said  Steell,  as  he  lit 
another  cigar. 

250 


THE    MASK 


The  host  emptied  his  glass  and  again  refilled  it 
before  he  answered: 

"It's  a  life  of  a  dog — not  of  a  human  being.  The 
toil  is  incessant,  the  profit  doubtful.  You  starve  to 
death:  good  food  is  unprocurable  save  at  prohibi- 
tive prices.  One  sleeps  practically  in  the  open,  save 
for  such  rude  shelter  as  each  man  can  make  for 
himself.  The  flies  are  a  pest  and  constant  source  of 
danger.  The  water  is  abominable." 

"You  like  champagne  better,  eh?"  laughed  Ray. 

The  gambler  had  already  drunk  more  than  was 
good  for  him,  and,  raising  his  glass  in  a  mock  toast, 
began  to  hum  the  first  lines  of  a  familiar  camp 
ditty : 

"La  femme  qui  sait  me  plaire 
C'est  la  petite  veuve  Clicquot." 

"Is  there  much  stealing  of  diamonds  by  the 
miners?"  demanded  Mr.  Parker. 

Handsome  nodded. 

"Lots  of  it.  They  have  to  watch  'em  all  the 
time.  They  resort  to  all  kinds  of  tricks  to  conceal 
stones  they  find.  They  used  to  swallow  them,  but 

251 


THE    MASK 


when  they  were  forced  to  take  powerful  emetics 
and  other  drugs,  they  soon  got  tired  of  that  game. 
They  also  try  to  smuggle  them  across  the  border 
line.  One  detective,  who  had  been  for  months  on 
the  trail  of  a  well-to-do  smuggler,  was  badly  stung. 
The  man  invited  him  to  go  shooting,  and  kindly 
furnished  guns  and  cartridges.  The  unsuspecting 
policeman  carried  the  cartridges  across  the  border, 
never  dreaming  that  each  one  was  filled  with  dia- 
monds." 

Ray  clapped  her  hands. 

"Oh,  what  a  clever  idea!" 

The  host  nodded  approvingly. 

"That's  what  I  thought.  Any  man  as  smart  as 
ithat  deserved  to  get  away  with  it." 

Mr.  Parker  protested. 

"Rogues  are  always  smart!"  he  exclaimed. 

"Until  they're  caught,"  laughed  Dick  Reynolds. 
"Then  they  don't  think  they're  so  smart.'* 

Mr.  Steell  nodded  approval. 

"I  know  something  about  that,"  said  the  lawyer. 
"A  crook  is  never  really  clever.  He  always  leaves 
some  loophole  which  leads  to  detection.  He  thinks 

252 


THE    MASK 


he  is  secure,  that  his  disguise  is  impenetrable,  but 
there  is  always  someone  watching  him,  closely  ob- 
serving his  every  move.  And,  the  first  thing  he 
knows,  he  has  walked  into  a  trap,  the  handcuffs  are 
snapped,  and  the  electric  chair  looms  grimly  before 
him " 

Crash! 

All  looked  up  to  the  end  of  the  table,  where  their 
host  had  broken  a  glass.  In  the  act  of  raising  the 
champagne  to  his  lips  the  glass  had  slipped  and 
broken  into  a  thousand  pieces.  Helen,  frightened, 
started  from  her  seat. 

"Are  you  hurt,  dear?"  she  asked.  "There  is 
blood  on  your  hand." 

"No — no,  it's  nothing.  I  cut  myself  with  a  bit 
of  glass.  It's  nothing." 

Ray  was  eager  for  more  anecdotes. 

"Do  tell  us  more,  Kenneth,"  she  exclaimed,  in- 
terrupting her  chat  with  her  left-hand  neighbor. 

"Give  him  a  breathing  spell,"  laughed  Dick. 
"We've  kept  him  at  it  ever  since  the  dinner  began." 

Handsome,  his  face  pale,  his  hand  trembling, 
filled  another  glass  with  the  foaming  golden  wine, 

253 


THE    MASK 


and  drained  it  at  a  draught.  What  the  lawyer  just 
said  had  been  somewhat  of  a  shock.  Was  there 
more  meaning  in  it  than  appeared  in  the  chance 
words?  He  eyed  Steell  narrowly,  when  he  was  not 
looking,  but  the  lawyer's  face  was  inscrutable. 
Again  he  filled  his  glass  and  again  emptied  it. 

That  her  husband  had  been  drinking  heavily  all 
evening  had  not  escaped  Helen's  attention,  and  it 
worried  her.  Nudging  her  sister  she  whispered : 

"Ken's  drinking  more  than  is  good  for  him.  He 
never  used  to  drink  like  that." 

At  that  moment,  the  host  looked  up  and  caught 

Helen's  eye.    Raising  his  glass  he  offered  a  toast : 

"Here's  to  the  prettiest,  the  sweetest,  the  most 

desirable  little  woman  in  the  world!     Gentlemen 

and  ladies — my  wife!" 

They  all  drank  except  Helen  who,  confused  and 
annoyed,  tried  to  turn  it  off  with  a  laugh. 

Noticing  her  embarrassment,  Ray  made  a  signal 
to  Mr.  Steell  and  they  both  rose  from  the  table. 
Helen  and  Dick  quickly  followed  their  example  and 
the  hostess  led  the  way  into  the  drawing-room,  leav- 
ing Handsome  and  Mr.  Parker  alone  to  their  cigars. 

254 


THE    MASK 


The  president  of  the  Americo-African  Mining 
Company  was  not  sorry  of  the  opportunity  which 
this  tete-a-tete  afforded  for  a  quiet  business  talk. 

"By  the  way,  old  man,"  he  began,  "we  haven't 
had  a  chance  to  talk  business  yet.  You've  got  the 
diamonds,  of  course." 

His  host  was  silent.  Mr.  Parker  thought  he  had 
not  heard.  A  little  louder  he  repeated : 

"You've  got  the  diamonds?" 

Still  no  answer.  The  president  began  to  get  un- 
easy. Could  anything  be  wrong  or  was  his  friend 
drunk?  He  had  noticed  that  he  had  been  drinking 
heavily — something  he  had  never  known  Kenneth 
Traynor  do.  With  some  impatience  he  said  sharp- 
ly :  "What's  the  matter,  Kenneth  ?  Wake  up,  old 
man.  I  asked  you  a  question.  Can't  you  answer?" 

Handsome  brought  his  fist  down  on  the  table  with 
a  bang  that  made  the  glasses  dance. 

"D it !"  he  exclaimed  angrily.  "Can't  a  man 

be  left  alone  in  his  own  house  for  a  few  minutes 
without  bothering  him  with  business?" 

This  outburst  was  so  utterly  unexpected  that  Mr. 
Parker,  taken  entirely  by  surprise,  fell  back  in  his 

255 


run  MASK 


chair  and  stared  at  his  host  in  amazement.  Never 
before  had  he  known  his  old  friend  and  partner  to 
act  in  this  strange  way.  Could  anything  be  amiss  ? 
Now  he  came  to  think  of  it,  he  had  noticed  a  great 
change  in  his  associate  directly  he  saw  him.  He 
had  seemed  to  lack  his  customary  cordiality  and 
frankness.  He  appeared  moody  and  morose,  as  if 
he  had  on  his  mind  some  weighty  responsibility  he 
was  unwilling  to  share.  Evidently  there  was  noth- 
ing to  be  gained  by  displaying  impatience,  so,  in 
more  conciliatory  tones,  he  asked: 

"That's  all  right,  my  boy.  If  you  don't  care  to 
talk  shop  to-night,  we  won't.  I  didn't  want  to  hurry 
you.  I  was  curious,  that's  all.  I  have  scarcely 
been  able  to  curb  my  impatience.  You  understand 
what  it  means  to  us.  Why,  the  very  announcement 
that  we  have  the  diamonds  safe  here  in  New  York, 
will  be  enough  to  send  the  company's  stock  up  twen- 
ty points."  Lowering  his  voice  and  bending  over 
he  added  confidentially :  "I  don't  mind  telling  you 
that  I've  been  buying  for  my  own  account  all  the 
cheap  stock  I  could  put  my  hands  on.  As  to  the 
stockholders,  they're  simply  wild  with  impatience 

256 


THH    MASK 


to  see  the  big  stones.  But  we  won't  talk  any  more 
about  it  to-night.  We'll  wait  till  to-morrow." 

Handsome,  his  face  almost  livid,  leaned  over  the 
table.  Hoarsely,  he  replied : 

"It's  no  use  waiting  till  to-morrow.  All  that's 
to  be  told  can  be  told  now.  I  haven't  got  the  dia- 
monds !" 

For  a  moment  Mr.  Parker  did  not  realize  what 
the  other  man  was  saying.  Thinking  he  had  not 
heard  right  he  asked: 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"I  have  not  got  the  diamonds !" 

The  president  started  from  his  seat.  His  face 
pale  as  death,  his  hand  shaking  as  stricken  with 
palsy,  he  almost  shouted : 

"You  have  not  got  the  diamonds!  Then  where 
in  God's  name  are  they?" 

"At  the  bottom  of  the  ocean!" 

The  senior  partner  dropped  back  in  his  chair, 
white  as  death.  Then  this  was  the  outcome  of  all 
his  hopes,  all  his  planning.  Faintly  he  gasped: 

"Why  didn't  you  tell  me  so  before?" 

"I  had  no  opportunity.  I  didn't  want  to  cable 
257 


THE    MASK 


such  news.  It  might  have  caused  a  slump  in  the 
shares.  I  could  not  let  you  know  before.  This  is 
the  first  time  I've  seen  you  alone." 

The  president  said  no  more.  The  lines  about  his 
mouth  tightened  and  the  expression  of  his  face  un- 
derwent a  change.  He  uttered  not  a  word,  but  just 
sat  there,  his  eyes  fixed  steadily  on  his  companion, 
who  continued  to  fill  his  glass  with  champagne. 
Cornelius  Winthrop  Parker  was  not  a  man  to  be 
easily  deceived.  He  had  too  much  experience  of 
the  world  for  that.  All  his  life  he  had  been  reading 
men  and  what  he  heard  now  in  the  tone  of  his  host's 
voice  convinced  him  that  he  was  lying.  That,  in 
itself,  was  sufficient  of  a  shock.  To  find  Kenneth 
Traynor — the  soul  of  integrity  and  honor — deliber- 
ately betraying  a  trust  of  such  importance  hurt  him 
almost  as  much  as  the  loss  of  the  gems.  That  they 
had  gone  down  with  the  Abyssinia  he  did  not  for 
a  moment  believe.  It  was  more  likely  that  they  had 
been  sold — possibly  to  make  good  Wall  Street 
losses.  Talk  of  big  stock  deals  in  which  Traynor 
had  been  mixed  up  had  reached  his  ear  before  to- 
day, and  more  recently  this  gossip  had  become  more 

258 


run  MASK 


insistent.  Kenneth  was  interested,  said  rumor,  in 
pool  operations  involving  millions.  The  recent  sud- 
den slump  had  found  him  unprepared.  Ruin  threat- 
ened him  and  to  save  himself  he  had  succumbed  to 
temptation.  This,  at  least,  was  the  theory  which 
the  President's  alert  brain  rapidly  evolved  as  he  sat 
watching  the  man  in  front  of  him.  Perhaps  all  was 
not  yet  lost.  If  the  stones  had  not  yet  been  dis- 
posed of,  an  effort  might  still  be  made  to  recover 
them  and  at  the  same  time  save  Traynor  and  his 
young  wife  from  the  disgrace  that  such  a  grave 
scandal  would  entail.  The  first  thing  necessary  was 
to  keep  cool,  show  no  concern  and  disarm  sus- 
picion by  pretending  to  accept  the  loss  as  irrepar- 
able. Then,  at  the  first  opportunity,  he  would  take 
•Wilbur  Steell  into  his  confidence.  That  wide  awake 
lawyer  would  know  exactly  how  to  handle  the  case. 
Dick  Reynolds  would  have  an  opportunity  to  show 
his  talent  as  a  detective.  Breaking  the  long  silence 
he  said  calmly: 

"Of  course,  I  understand  your  silence.  I  think 
you  acted  wisely.  We  had  better  keep  the  loss  to 
ourselves  as  long  as  we  can.  No  one  can  attach 

259 


THH    MASK 


any  blame  to  you.  It  is  a  terrible  loss,  but  we  must 
face  it  like  men." 

The  gambler  looked  up  quickly,  and  eyed  his 
guest  narrowly.  Seeing  nothing  on  the  latter's  face 
to  arouse  his  suspicions,  he  grew  more  cheerful, 
Less  sullen  and  defiant,  he  extended  his  hand. 

"Thanks,  old  man!"  he  exclaimed  heartily.  "I 
expected  no  less  from  you.  I  can't  tell  you  how 
badly  I  feel  about  the  loss.  No  doubt  my  manner 
has  seemed  strange  since  my  return.  I  have  been 
irritable  with  everybody — even  my  dear  wife  has 
noticed  it.  It  was  only  because  I  did  not  know  how 
to  make  a  clear  breast  of  it.  Since  you  take  it  so 
sensibly,  I'll  cheer  up.  I  declare  I  feel  like  a  new 
man  already." 

Mr.  Parker  lit  another  cigar.     Calmly,  he  said: 

"That's  right,  Kenneth  my  boy.  Keep  a  stiff  up- 
per lip.  All's  for  the  best.  We'll  have  better  luck 
next  time." 

As  he  spoke,  Wilbur  Steell  passed  on  his  way  to 
join  the  ladies  in  the  drawing-room.  The  president 
called  out  to  him : 

"Hello,  Steell.  What  are  you  so  busy  about? 
260 


THE    MASK 


Entertaining  the  women,  eh?  Always  thought  you 
were  a  lady  killer.  Suppose  you  come  and  smoke 
a  cigar  with  me  and  let  our  friend  here  go  and 
have  a  chat  with  his  wife.  You've  no  right  to 
monopolize  the  fair  sex  in  that  fashion,  even  if  you 
are  a  trust  lawyer.  Anyhow,  I  want  to  talk  to  you 
— just  a  little  matter  of  business — that's  all!" 

Steell  laughed,  and,  dropping  into  a  chair,  took 
the  cigar  which  Mr.  Parker  held  out.  Turning  to 
his  host,  and  clapping  him  genially  on  the  back  the 
president  exclaimed : 

"Go  and  talk  to  your  wife,  old  man.  You've 
left  her  alone  long  enough." 

"All  right — I  will,"  replied  the  gambler,  not  sorry 
of  any  excuse  to  get  away. 

Mr.  Parker  waited  till  he  was  out  of  hearing, 
then,  leaning  quickly  over  to  his  companion,  he  ex- 
claimed in  a  tense  whisper: 

"Steell,  I  need  your  help." 

The  lawyer  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  Remov- 
ing his  cigar  from  his  mouth  he  said: 

"My  help?    Bygall  means.     What  can  I  do  for 


you?" 


261 


THE    MASK 


Mr.  Parker  gave  a  quick  glance  behind  him  to 
see  if  they  were  observed,  and  then  he  said : 

"My  God,  Steell,  something  terrible  has  hap- 
pened! At  any  cost,  we  mustn't  let  the  wife 
know " 

The  lawyer  stared  at  his  companion  in  amaze- 
ment. 

"What  is  it,  for  Heaven's  sake?"  he  demanded, 
looking  anxiously  at  his  vis-a-vis. 

"The  diamonds  are  lost !"  replied  Parker  hoarsely. 

"The  diamonds  lost!" 

"Yes — lost — he  has  returned  without  them.  They 
went  down  in  the  Abyssinia.  At  least,  that's  what 
he  says " 

The  lawyer  started. 

"You  think " 

"I  think  nothing,"  replied  the  president  cautious- 
ly. "I  want  to  know.  That's  why  I  want  you  to 
help  me — to  find  out — you  understand?" 

The  lawyer  nodded : 

"Some  detective  work,  eh?" 

"Precisely.  The  stones  may  have  gone  down 
to  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  or  they  may  not.  For 

262 


THE    MASK 


all  we  know  the  ship  may  have  been  set  on  fire  pur- 
posely, in  order  to  create  such  a  panic -" 

The  lawyer  protested. 

"Surely  you  don't  think  Kenneth " 

The  president  shook  his  head. 

"I  accuse  nobody.     I  want  to  find  out." 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then  after  a 
pause  he  went  on : 

"I  suppose  you've  heard,  as  well  as  everybody 
else,  how  Traynor  has  been  plunging  in  Wall  Street 
recently." 

The  lawyer  nodded.     Hesitatingly  he  replied: 

"Yes — I  have.  Unfortunately,  the  reports  are 
true.  Investigations  I  have  conducted  privately  on 
my  own  account  have  convinced  me  that  Kenneth 
has  been  a  big  plunger  for  some  time.  But  as  far 
as  I  know,  he  has  operated  only  within  his  means. 
I  have  often  remonstrated  with  him  about  the  folly 
of  it,  but  he  enjoys  the  excitement  of  the  speculation 
game,  and  as  long  as  he  kept  within  bounds  and 
gambled  with  his  own  money  I  didn't  see  that  any- 
one had  any  right  to  interfere." 

"Ah,  just  so — as  long  as  he  operated  with  his 
263 


THE    MASK 


own  means  and  with  his  own  money.  But  suppose 
the  market  suddenly  goes  against  such  a  man,  and 
he  is  face  to  face  with  a  tremendous  loss,  possibly 
ruin,  what  does  such  a  man  do  nine  times  out  of 
ten?" 

"Blow  his  brains  out." 

"Yes — sometimes  that,  but  often  he  succumbs  to 
temptation,  and  takes  what  isn't  his " 

"Then  you  think  that  Kenneth " 

"I  think  nothing.  I  want  to  know.  He  has  come 
back  from  Africa  a  changed  man.  He  is  surly, 
morose,  secretive.  That  man  has  something  on  his 
conscience.  We  must  find  out  what  it  is.  It  is  up 
to  you  to  ferret  it  out.  Set  your  detectives  to  work. 
The  company  will  spend  the  last  cent  in  its  treasury 
to  find  those  stones.  You  must  trail  his  associates, 
find  out  where  he  goes.  The  diamonds  are  proba- 
bly right  here  in  New  York.  Who  first  took  Ken- 
neth to  Wall  Street?" 

"Signer  Keralio " 

"Ah— always  that  fellow!    Who  is  he?" 

"An  adventurer  of  the  worst  type.  I  have  had 
him  shadowed  by  one  of  my  men.  He  has  a  police 

264 


THE    MASK 


record  as  a  dangerous  criminal  of   international 

reputation." 

"And  Kenneth's  valet — that  fellow  Frangois." 

"He  was  formerly  in  Keralio's  employ." 

The  President  rose.     Extending  his  hand  to  the 

lawyer,  he  said : 

"That's  enough.     I  don't  think  the  trail  will  be 

hard  to  pick  up.    Spare  no  expense.    Good  night!" 


265 


CHAPTER   XV 

THE  last  guest  had  gone.    One  by  one  the 
lights  in  the  Traynor  residence  were  ex- 
tinguished.   The  servants,  tired  after  an 
exciting   and   strenuous   day,   had   gone   to   their 
quarters. 

In  the  hall  downstairs,  the  grandfather's  clock 
rang  out  its  musical  chimes  and  then,  in  ponderous 
tones,  slowly  struck  the  twelve  hours  of  midnight. 

The  master  of  the  house  was  sitting  at  the  desk 
in  the  library,  looking  over  some  papers.  From 
time  to  time  he  glanced  significantly,  first  at  the 
clock  and  then  at  the  corner  where  Helen  and  Ray 
were  chatting  over  the  events  of  the  day.  At  last 
the  young  girl  took  the  hint.  Jumping  up,  she  ex- 
claimed good  naturedly : 

"How  selfish  I  am  to  be  sitting  gossiping  here 
when  poor  Kenneth  is  so  tired.  Go  to  bed,  both 
of  you.  I'm  so  sleepy  myself  I  can  hardly  keep 
awake.  Good  night!" 

266 


THE    MASK 


"Good  night,  dear!"  said  Helen,  rising  and  kiss- 
ing her. 

"Good  night,  Ken!  Pleasant  dreams,"  cried  the 
young  girl  as  she  left  the  room. 

"Good  night!"  he  responded  hoarsely. 

The  sound  of  her  footsteps  died  away  in  the  dis- 
tance and  Helen  and  the  gambler  sat  there  in  silence. 
He  watched  her  furtively,  trying  to  guess  the  trend 
of  her  thoughts,  his  eyes  bloodshot  with  wine,  feast- 
ing on  every  line  of  her  girlish  figure. 

Never  had  she  looked  more  beautiful,  more  de- 
sirable, than  this  evening.  Her  decollete  gown  re- 
vealed a  white,  plump  neck,  her  lips  were  red  and 
tempting,  her  large  dark  eyes  fairly  sparkled  from 
excitement.  It  was  a  vision  to  distract  a  saint  and 
Handsome  was  no  saint.  It  was  indeed  only  with 
the  greatest  difficulty  that  he  curbed  his  impatience 
to  carry  off  the  prize  that  lay  within  his  grasp. 

"Are  you  tired,"  he  said  at  last.  "Do  you 
want  to  go  to  bed?" 

"Not  very,"  she  answered.  "I'm  too  excited  to 
sleep.  Hasn't  it  been  an  exciting  day?" 

He  made  no  reply,  pretending  to  be  occupied  at 
267 


THE    MASK 


the  desk,  and  she  relapsed  into  a  dream  silence,  glad 
of  a  few  quiet,  peaceful  moments  to  be  alone  with 
her  thoughts.  How  good  it  was  to  have  him  home 
again !  Now  she  could  be  at  peace  once  more  and 
enjoy  life  as  she  used  to.  She  could  go  to  the  opera, 
to  the  theater.  The  days  would  not  be  so  monoto- 
nous. She  wondered  why  she  was  still  unable  to 
shake  off  the  feeling  of  anxiety  and  apprehension 
which  had  haunted  her  ever  since  he  went  away. 
With  a  devoted  husband  safe  at  her  side,  what  rea- 
son had  she  for  feeling  depressed?  Yet,  for  some 
reason  she  was  unable  to  explain,  she  was  not  able 
even  now  to  throw  off  her  melancholy  and  presenti- 
ment of  danger. 

There  recurred  to  her  mind  what  Signer  Keralio 
had  said,  his  veiled,  ambiguous  words  of  warning. 
Could  it  be  true,  was  it  possible  that  her  husband 
had  deceived  her  all  these  years  and  unsuspected 
by  her,  had  led  a  double  life  of  deceit  and  disloy- 
alty ?  Certainly  there  was  much  that  needed  expla- 
nation. The  loss  of  the  diamonds  did  not  directly 
concern  her,  although  she  felt  that,  too,  was  part 
of  the  mystery.  But  his  strange  aloofness  of  man- 

268 


THE    MASK 


ner,  his  inexplicable  loss  of  memory  and  nervous- 
ness, the  frenzied  outburst  when  she  had  mentioned 
Keralio's  name  that  afternoon,  the  sudden  craving 
for  drink — was  not  all  this  to  some  extent,  corrobo- 
ration  of  what  the  fencing  master  has  told  her?  She 
thought  she  would  question  him,  speak  to  him  open- 
ly, frankly,  as  a  loyal  wife  should  the  man  she  loves, 
and  give  him  an  opportunity  to  explain.  Now  was 
as  good  a  time  as  ever.  Looking  up  she  said 
abruptly : 

"Signer  Keralio  was  here  while  you  were  away. 
I  started  telling  you  this  afternoon,  but  you  got  so 
excited " 

Making  a  deprecatory  gesture  with  his  hand  he 
said  indifferently: 

"That's  all  right.  I  was  tired  and  nervous.  I'm 
quieter  now.  What  did  Keralio  have  to  say?" 

"Nothing  worth  listening  to.  He  never  says  any- 
thing but  impertinences." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"You  mustn't  take  him  too  seriously." 

Hotly  she  retorted: 

"He  takes  himself  too  seriously.  If  he  only 
269 


THE    MASK 


knew  how  repellent  he  is  to  a  decent  woman  he 
would  cease  to  annoy  me." 

He  laughed. 

"Oh,  Keralio's  not  a  bad  sort — when  you  get  to 
know  him.  Those  foreigners  think  nothing  of  mak- 
ing love  to  a  woman " 

"I  don't  want  to  know  him/'  she  retorted  with 
spirit,  "and  what's  more,  I  don't  want  him  coming 
here.  One  evening  he  was  so  insulting  that  I  had 
to  show  him  the  door.  He  had  the  impudence  to 
come  again.  So  I  had  my  servant  put  him  out. 
You  won't  invite  him  here  again,  will  you?" 

He  was  silent,  while  she  sat  watching  him, 
amazed  that  he  did  not  at  once  fiercely  resent  the 
insult  done  her  in  his  absence.  After  a  pause,  he 
said  awkwardly : 

"I  don't  invite  him.  Keralio's  the  kind  of  a  chap 
who  invites  himself." 

"But  can't  you  put  him  out?"  she  demanded  with 
growing  irritation. 

"No — I  can't,"  he  answered  doggedly. 

"Why?"  she  demanded  firmly. 

"I  can't— that's  all!" 

270 


THE    MASK 


She  looked  at  him  wonderingly,  and  the  color 
came  and  went  in  her  face  and  neck.  There  was 
a  note  almost  of  contempt  in  her  voice  as  she  de- 
manded : 

"What  is  the  hold  this  creature  has  on  you?  Is 
it  something  you  are  ashamed  of  ?" 

The  blood  surged  to  his  face  and  the  veins  stood 
out  on  his  temples  like  whipcord.  Another  instant 
and  it  had  receded,  leaving  him  ghastly  pale. 

"We  have  business  interests  in  common,  that's 
all,"  he  said  hastily  and  apologetically.  "He  has 
been  very  useful  to  me.  I  don't  like  him  any  more 
than  you  do,  but  in  business  one  can't  criticize  too 
closely  the  manners  or  morals  of  one's  associates." 

"No,  but  a  man  can  prevent  his  associates  from 
annoying  his  wife." 

He  made  no  answer,  but  toyed  nervously  with  a 
paper  cutter.  Determined  to  .get  at  the  truth,  she 
went  on: 

"What  business  interests  can  you  have  together  ? 
Is  it  legitimate  business  or  merely  stock  gam- 
bling?" 

"What  do  you  mean?" 
271 


THE    MASK 


Rising  from  the  divan,  she  went  toward  him. 
Earnestly,  she  said: 

"Kenneth,  I've  wanted  to  speak  to  you  about  this 
matter  for  a  long  time.  During  your  absence  I've 
heard  rumors.  Things  have  been  insinuated.  A 
hint  has  been  dropped  here,  gossip  has  been  over- 
heard there — all  to  the  effect  that  you  are  heavily 
involved  in  Wall  Street.  Is  it  true?" 

For  a  moment  he  was  silent,  at  a  loss  what  to 
answer.  He  could  not  imagine  the  reason  for  the 
questioning  or  where  it  might  lead  him,  but  instinct 
warned  him  that  it  was  dangerous  ground  and  that 
caution  was  necessary.  Why  hadn't  Francois  told 
him  of  his  brother's  Wall  Street  operations?  It 
would  never  do  to  show  himself  entirely  ignorant 
of  them.  If  such  rumors  existed,  there  was  proba- 
bly some  basis  of  them.  No  doubt  his  brother  had 
played  the  market  and  kept  from  his  wife  the  ex- 
tent of  his  losses. 

"Is  it  true?"  she  repeated. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  Nonchalantly,  he 
replied : 

"Never  believe  all  you  hear !" 
272 


THE    MASK 


Her  face  lit  up  with  pleasure. 

"Really?"  she  exclaimed.     "It  isn't  true?" 

"Not  a  word  of  it.  I  have  money  invested  in 
stocks  and  bonds,  but  anyone  who  accuses  me  of 
wild  cat  speculation  is  guilty  of  telling  what  I  would 
very  politely  call  a  d d  lie!" 

Reassured  more  by  his  ease  and  carelessness  of 
manner  than  by  his  actual  words  of  denial,  the 
young  wife  gave  an  exclamation  of  delight. 

"Oh,  I'm  so  glad!"  she  exclaimed.  "You've  no 
idea  how  relieved  I  feel.  It  was  worrying  me  ter- 
ribly to  feel  that  you  might  be  in  difficulties  and  had 
not  thought  enough  of  me  to  take  me  into  your  con- 
fidence." Looking  at  him  appealingly  she  added: 
"You  will  always  confide  in  me,  won't  you  Ken?" 

"Sure  I  will,  sweetheart " 

Trembling  with  the  ardor  he  was  trying  to  con- 
trol he  seized  hold  of  her  hand  and  drew  her  on 
to  his  knee.  She  offered  no  resistance,  but  passively 
sat  there,  clasped  against  his  broad  shoulder,  her 
face  radiant  with  happiness  at  the  load  which  his 
words  had  taken  off  her  mind. 

Putting  his  arm  round  her  waist,  he  leaned  for- 

273 


THE    MASK 


ward  as  if  to  kiss  her,  but  drawing  quickly  back 
she  said : 

"There's  still  something  else  I  must  ask  you  be- 
fore my  happiness  is  quite  complete." 

"What's  that?"  he  demanded,  impatient  at  these 
continual  interruptions  to  his  amorous  advances. 

Turning  she  looked  steadily  into  his  face,  as  if 
trying  to  read  the  truth  or  falsity  of  his  answer. 
She  could  not  see  his  eyes,  veiled  as  they  were  by 
the  glasses,  but  that  sensitive  mouth  she  knew  so 
well,  that  determined  chin,  that  high  forehead 
crowned  by  the  bushy  brown  hair  with  its  solitary 
white  lock — all  these  were  as  dear  to  her  as  they 
had  always  been.  To  think  that  he  might  have 
fondled  some  other  woman  as  he  was  now  fondling 
her  was  intolerable  agony. 

"Kenneth,"  she  said  slowly  and  impressively, 
"are  you  sure  that  there  is  no  part  of  your  life  that 
you  have  kept  hidden  from  me?" 

He  started  and  for  a  moment  changed  color. 
What  did  she  mean?  Was  it  possible  that  she  sus- 
pected the  substitution,  or  was  she  alluding  to  some 
past  history  of  his  brother's  life,  of  which  he  knew 
nothing?  Evasively,  he  answered: 

274 


THH    MASK 


'Why  all  these  question,  sweetheart,  the  first  day 
I  come  home.  Is  this  the  kind  of  welcome  you 
promised  me,  the  one  I  had  a  right  to  expect.  I 
am  very  tired.  Let  us  go  to  bed." 

His  arm  still  around  her,  he  again  drew  her 
to  him  and,  stooping,  tried  to  reach  her  mouth 
with  his  own.  But  again  she  resisted,  her 
mind  too  disturbed  by  jealousy  to  be  in  a 
mood  to  respond  to  his  wooing.  Gently  she 
said: 

"I  know  you  are  tired,  Ken.  I  am  tired,  too, — 
tired  of  all  these  rumors  and  slanderous  insinua- 
tions. I  have  been  made  unhappy  by  hearing  this 
gossip.  It  is  my  right  to  tell  you  what  I  have  heard 
and  ask  for  a  straightforward,  loyal  explanation. 
I  know  you  are  true  to  me.  I  have  never  doubted 
it  for  an  instant.  I  only  want  a  word  from  you  to 
forget  what  I've  heard  and  dismiss  the  matter  from 
my  mind  forever." 

He  looked  at  her,  an  amused  kind  of  expression 
playing  about  the  corners  of  his  mouth.  It  was  only 
with  an  effort  that  he  controlled  the  muscles  of  his 
face.  What  a  comedy,  he  thought  to  himself! 
Here  was  this  sweet  little  woman  breaking  her  heart 

275 


THE    MASK 


over  something  which,  as  far  as  he  knew,  didn't 
•exist.  But  he  must  continue  to  play  his  part,  no 
matter  at  what  cost.  Evidently,  she  had  heard 
something  for  which  there  might  be  some  basis  of 
truth.  She  might  even  have  proofs  of  his  brother's 
infidelity,  and  ready  to  produce  them.  Too  sweep- 
ing a  denial  might  still  further  complicate  matters, 
arouse  suspicion,  and  end  in  exposure.  Cautiously, 
•he  replied: 

"You  know  all  there  is  in  my  life,  sweetheart.  I 
:never  conceal  anything  from  you." 

Looking  searchingly  at  him,  she  demanded : 

"Never?" 

"Never." 

"Has  there  been  another  woman  in  your  life, 
Kenneth,  since  you  married  me?" 

"No,  sweetheart — never.  If  anyone  told  you  that 
or  even  insinuated  it,  he  was  a  scoundrel.  It's  a 
damned  lie!  You  are  and  always  will  be  the  only 
one 

Her  head  fell  back  on  his  shoulder. 

"Then  I  am  completely  happy!"  she  murmured. 

His  arms  folded  about  her  and  she  felt  his  warm 
276 


THE    MASK 


breath  on  her  cheek.  But  this  time  she  did  not  re- 
sist. It  felt  good  to  be  sheltered  there  in  those 
strong  arms  against  the  attacks  and  calumnies  of 
the  world. 

"It  is  late,"  he  murmured. 

Suddenly,  he  threw  her  head  back  and  bending 
down  till  his  mouth  reached  hers  he  kissed  her  full 
on  the  lips.  She  did  not  resist,  but  just  abandoned 
herself,  responding  only  feebly  to  the  fierce  passion 
that  made  him  tremble  like  a  leaf.  His  face  flushed, 
his  hands  shaking,  he  murmured : 

"It  is  very  late.    Are  you  not  tired  ?" 

"No  dear — I'm  not  tired.  There's  no  hurry.  We 
needn't  get  up  early  to-morrow.  It's  so  beautiful 
here — sitting  together  like  this — so  happy  in  each 
other's  company." 

"But  I  am  tired,"  he  said,  trying  to  control  his 
emotion. 

It  was  almost  more  than  he  could  endure,  yet 
still  he  mastered  himself,  and  resisted  the  tempta- 
tion that  arose  violently  within  him  to  take  her  by 
force,  if  needs  be,  and  carry  her  into  the  inner  room, 
as  the  wild  beast,  tiring  of  playing  with  its  victim, 

277 


THE    MASK 


suddenly  ends  the  game  by  seizing  its  hapkss  prey 
and  drags  it  away  to  its  lair.  Was  he  not  the  mas- 
ter? Why  should  he  allow  her  childish  prattle  to 
stand  in  the  way  of  his  desires.  For  years,  Hand- 
some had  not  known  female  society  save  that  of 
those  wretched  outcasts  who  infest  the  mining 
camps.  He  had  caroused  with  them  and  quarreled 
with  them.  He  had  even  loved  one  of  them — after 
the  rough  and  ready  fashion  of  the  veldt.  She  was 
a  Spaniard,  a  tall  handsome  woman,  with  large 
black  eyes  and  the  temper  of  a  fury.  She  had  killed 
her  husband  in  a  drunken  brawl,  and  on  leaving 
prison  had  gone  to  South  Africa.  She  met  the 
gambler  one  night  in  a  gambling  house,  and,  with- 
out as  much  as  asking  for  an  introduction,  she  went 
up  to  him  and,  in  a  characteristic  Spanish  style, 
gave  him  a  hearty  kiss  on  both  cheeks.  It  was  her 
way  of  notifying  her  female  associates  that,  hence- 
forth>  the  big  miner  was  her  man.  Handsome  ac- 
cepted the  challenge,  and  for  a  couple  of  years  they 
lived  as  happily  together  as  can  two  adventurers 
who  are  in  constant  hot  water  with  the  police.  One 
<iay,  in  a  fit  of  drunken  jealousy,  she  struck  him. 

278 


Furious  with  rage,  he  seized  her  by  the  neck.  He 
did  not  mean  to  harm  her ;  it  was  his  giant  strength 
that  was  to  blame.  Anyhow  her  neck  was  broken 
and  the  coroner  called  it  an  accident.  For  a  week 
or  so,  Handsome  was  really  sorry.  She  was  the 
only  woman  he  had  ever  cared  for.  She  at  least 
was  a  woman. 

But  this  slip  of  a  girl,  with  her  childish  prattle 
and  aristocratic  airs,  was  quite  different.  Accus- 
tomed to  the  rougher  ways  of  the  camp,  her  fine 
manners  and  refined  graces  at  first  had  rather  in- 
timidated him.  He  did  not  feel  at  home  with  her. 
He  felt  awkward  and  ill  at  ease.  Yet,  for  all  that, 
she  was  a  woman,  too — a  woman  of  his  own  race, 
desirable,  tempting.  When  Frangois  had  first  sug- 
gested that  he  impersonate  his  brother  and  enjoy 
his  fortune,  he  had  said  nothing  about  his  brother's 
wife.  Perhaps  he  reserved  her  for  his  master,  Ker- 
alio.  At  the  thought,  a  pang  of  jealousy  went 
through  him.  If  Keralio,  why  not  he?  Evidently 
Keralio  had  been  stalking  the  game,  for  she  com- 
plained of  his  conduct  and  had  dismissed  him  from 
the  house.  Yet,  in  what  position  was  he  to  frustrate 

279 


THE    MASK 


Keralio  in  any  of  his  schemes?  He  had  him  in 
his  power;  he  was  completely  at  his  mercy.  He 
allowed  him  to  masquerade  in  New  York  as  the 
millionaire,  but  he  was  the  real  master  of  the  Tray- 
nor  home.  Even  now,  Frangois  might  be  spying 
on  their  actions,  eager  to  report  to  the  arch  con- 
spirator. Rising  from  the  chair,  he  lifted  her  to 
her  feet. 

"Come,  darling — it  is  late " 

He  led  her  slowly,  almost  imperceptibly,  in  the 
direction  of  the  inner  room.  A  feeling  of  languor 
came  over  her,  and  she  allowed  him  to  lead  her, 
abandoning  herself  to  his  ardent,  feverish  embrace, 
responding  every  now  and  then  to  the  hot  kisses  he 
rained  on  her  mouth  and  neck.  Through  her  thin 
dress  he  could  feel  her  soft  form  pressing  against 
him.  From  her  neck  arose  a  delicious  aroma,  a  kind 
of  feminine  incense  that  still  further  aroused  and 
lashed  his  desire. 

"I  adore  you — I  adore  you !"  he  murmured,  as  he 
kissed  her  again.  Slowly  he  led  her  past  the  book- 
case and  marble  Venus  to  the  open  door  of  her 
pink  and  white  boudoir. 

280 


"I   ADORE    YOU 1   ADORE    YOU",    HE   MURMURED   AS  HE    KISSED   HER   AGAIN. 


p.  280. 


THE    MASK 


She  looked  up  at  him  in  surprise. 

"How  you  love  me!"  she  murmured.  "You 
never  used  to  care  for  me  like  this." 

Her  head  on  his  shoulder,  her  eyes  half  closed, 
she  was  conscious  only  of  the  presence  of  the  man 
she  loved  better  than  anyone  in  the  world. 

Yet  even  now,  in  the  hour  of  her  supreme  con- 
tent and  felicity,  when  all  her  tormenting  anxie- 
ties and  doubts  had  been  dissipated  by  his  frank 
words  of  denial,  there  was  still  something  that  wor- 
ried her.  He  was  changed  somehow,  even  in  his 
love  making.  It  was  delicious  to  be  loved  passion- 
ately, fiercely,  like  this — to  be  carried  off  by  force, 
as  it  were,  by  your  own  husband.  But  she  did  not 
understand  how  a  man  could  change  so  much  in 
a  few  weeks.  Kenneth  had  always  loved  her  deep- 
ly, but  never  had  she  known  him  display  such  ardor 
as  this.  She  had  heard  that  men  change,  particu- 
larly after  long  absences  from  home.  Some,  she 
had  heard,  became  colder ;  others  were  more  demon- 
strative. Of  the  two,  she  thought  the  latter  pre- 
ferable. If  there  was  such  love  in  the  world,  why 
should  it  not  be  shown  her.  Her  own  temperament 

281 


was  cold,  but  no  woman  could  but  feel  flattered 
that  she  possessed  the  power  to  arouse  men  to  such 
passion. 

At  last  they  had  reached  the  threshold  of  the 
boudoir.  What  to  him  was  an  earthly  paradise, 
was  almost  attained.  In  a  state  of  blissful  helpless- 
ness, intoxicated  by  a  delicious  sensation  of  being 
completely  dominated  by  a  will  stronger  than  her 
own,  she  permitted  him  to  take  her  where  he 
wished.  Her  eyes  closed,  her  head  on  his  shoulder, 
she  submitted  willingly  to  his  fervent  kisses.  An- 
other moment  and  he  had  closed  the  door  behind 
them,  when,  suddenly,  a  commotion  on  the  landing 
outside  the  library  aroused  both  with  a  start.  There 
was  the  sound  of  voices  and  people  running  up  the 
stairs. 

"What's  that?"  exclaimed  Helen  startled. 

Irritated  at  this  unlocked  for  interruption,  the 
gambler  went  quickly  toward  the  landing  to  inves- 
tigate. Francois  met  him  at  the  library  door.  In 
his  hand  he  held  an  envelope.  Holding  it  out,  he 
said: 

"A  telegram  for  Madame!" 
282 


THE    MASK 


"A  telegram!"  cried  Helen,  rushing  forward. 
"Good  God,  I  hope  Dorothy  is  not " 

She  tore  it  open,  while  Handsome  stood  by  in 
silence.  On  the  valet's  face  there  was  a  triumphant 
expression,  the  gratified  smile  of  one  rogue  who  en- 
joys the  discomfiture  of  another. 

Helen  suddenly  gave  a  cry. 

"It's  as  I  thought !"  she  exclaimed.  "Dorothy  is 
worse.  The  doctor  thinks  it  is  scarlet  fever.  I  must 
go  to  her  at  once." 

"Go  where?"  demanded  Handsome  in  consterna- 
tion. 

"To  Philadelphia." 

"To  Philadelphia  to-night?"  he  cried  in  dismay. 

"Yes — to-night,"  she  said  firmly. 

He  protested  vigorously. 

"Nonsense — you  can't  go  to-night.  It  will  do  no 
good.  Wait  till  the  morning.  There  are  no  trains." 

Quickly,  the  valet  drew  from  his  pocket  a  time- 
table. With  a  side  glance  at  his  master,  he  said : 

"There  is  a  train  at  1.15.  If  Madame  is  quick, 
she  will  make  it.  The  car  is  already  waiting  down- 
stairs." 

283 


THE    MASK 


Helen  seized  her  fur  coat,  which  the  obliging 
valet  had  also  brought  up  from  the  hall. 

"Yes — yes.  Throw  a  few  things  in  my  bag.  You 
needn't  come,  Ken.  I'll  telephone  you  directly  I 
get  to  Philadelphia.  Good-bye!" 

The  next  instant  she  was  gone  and  the  gambler, 
with  a  muttered  curse,  went  to  the  sideboard  and 
poured  out  a  glass  of  whiskey,  with  which  to  drown 
his  disappointment. 


284 


CHAPTER   XVI 

FOR  a  person  so  fastidious  and  particular,  so 
fond  of  the  luxurious  and  the  elegant, 
Signer  Keralio  had  certainly  selected  a 
queer  neighborhood  for  his  abode.  Miles  dis- 
tant from  the  fashionable  centers,  far  away  up 
in  the  Bronx,  he  occupied  the  entire  top  floor  of 
a  dingy,  broken  down  tenement.  There  were  no 
other  people  in  the  house,  it  being  in  such  bad 
repair  that  no  one  cared  to  live  in  it,  and  as 
Keralio  paid  as  much  as  all  the  previous  tenants 
combined  and  made  no  requests  for  improvements, 
the  landlord  was  only  too  glad  to  leave  him  undis- 
turbed. It  was  situated  at  the  extreme  end  of  a 
blind  alley  and,  there  being  no  egress  from  the  street 
save  at  one  end,  there  was  consequently  little  or  no 
traffic  and,  for  the  great  part  of  the  day  and  night, 
the  silence  was  as  deep  and  unbroken  as  in  the  open 
country. 

With  his  neighbors  Signer  Keralio  was  distantly 
285 


THE    MASK 


polite,  but  never  intimate.  The  district  was  a  poor 
one,  being  settled  mostly  by  Italian  laborers  who 
rose  and  went  to  bed  with  the  sun  and  toiled  too 
long  and  too  hard  each  day  to  bother  their  heads  as 
to  why  such  a  fine  gentleman  as  the  Signer  ap- 
peared to  be,  should  live  in  such  squalid  quarters. 
No  one  had  ever  been  admitted  to  his  flat.  If  the 
baker  called,  he  left  the  bread  on  the  mat;  if  a 
chance  peddler  or  book  agent  happened  to  wander 
in,  he  had  to  talk  through  closed  doors.  The  Signer 
was  always  busy  and  could  not  be  disturbed.  The 
lights  often  burned  all  night  long,  and  sometimes 
people  drove  up  in  a  taxi  and  went  away  again. 
For  a  while  the  corner  gossips  speculated  idly  as 
to  who  he  might  be,  but  gradually  they  lost  all  in- 
terest. When  he  purchased  trifles  at  the  corner 
grocery  he  gave  out  casually  that  he  was  a  news- 
paper man  and  had  to  work  all  night,  and  the  fact 
that  muffled  sounds  of  hammering  and  machinery 
in  motion  had  been  heard  at  all  hours,  only  helped 
to  make  the  explanation  more  plausible. 

To-night,  Keralio  was  perhaps  more  anxious  than 
at  any  time  to  discourage  callers — especially  should 

286 


THE    MASK 


they  happen  to  be  inquisitive  secret  service  agents. 
Another  few  days  and  he  would  have  nothing  more 
to  fear.  The  presses  would  soon  have  completed 
their  work  and  $500,000  worth  of  as  fine  a  $10 
counterfeit  as  ever  deceived  a  bank  teller  would 
be  ready  for  distribution.  Half  of  them  had  al- 
ready been  run  off  and,  as  he  held  them  up  to  the 
light  and  critically  examined  the  silken  thread  that 
ran  here  and  there  through  the  specially  prepared 
paper  and  noted  the  careful  coloring,  the  beautifully 
geometrical  lathe  work  and  skilfully  traced  signa- 
tures, he  silently  congratulated  himself.  Here  was 
half  a  million  dollars'  worth  of  splendid  cur- 
rency. Detection  was  absolutely  impossible. 
Had  not  Francois  already  succeeded  in  passing  a 
lot?  After  all  had  been  disposed  of,  he  could  af- 
ford to  take  a  rest.  On  the  proceeds  of  this  rich 
haul,  he  could  live  like  a  prince  for  a  few  years  in 
Europe,  and  when  that  was  all  gone,  he  still  had 
the  diamonds  to  fall  back  upon.  Glancing  at  the 
clock,  he  wondered  why  Handsome  did  not  come. 
He  was  anxious  to  get  possession  of  the  diamonds. 
It  was  too  soon  to  attempt  doing  anything  with 

287 


THE    MASK 


the  stones  now.  The  hue  and  cry  would  be  too 
loud.  All  the  diamond  markets  would  be  watched, 
if  they  were  not  already.  He  had  a  suspicion  that 
Parker  and  Steell  suspected  something  wrong. 
Frangois  had  seen  the  President  in  earnest  consul- 
tation with  the  lawyer  directly  after  Handsome  had 
announced  the  loss.  He  had  not  been  able  to  hear 
what  was  said,  but  from  their  manner  he  inferred 
that  the  diamonds  were  the  sole  subject  of  conver- 
sation. They  did  not  question  Handsome's  iden- 
tity. That  never  entered  their  heads,  but  they 
doubted  his  story  of  losing  the  stones.  They,  no 
doubt,  thought  he  had  used  the  diamonds  to  make 
good  Wall  Street  losses. 

He  chuckled  as  he  thought  how  admirably  his 
scheme  had  worked  out.  He  had  hinted  at  Kenneth 
being  heavily  short  in  this  street,  which  at  once 
explained  a  motive  for  Kenneth  diverting  the  stones 
to  his  own  use.  Yes,  he  had  triumphed  over  them 
all — except  one.  Helen  Traynor,  so  far,  had  foiled 
him  in  everything,  and  the  more  she  resisted  and 
insulted  him,  the  more  determined  he  was  to  drag 
her  at  his  feet.  Handsome,  poor  devil,  fondly  im- 

288 


THE    MASK 


agined  he  would  inherit  the  wife  as  well  as  the  for- 
tune. How  could  he  guess  that  he,  Keralio,  would 
send  a  bogus  telegram  just  in  time  to  dash  the  cup 
from  his  lips. 

Impatiently  he  strode  up  and  down  the  rooms. 
Why  was  Handsome  late?  A  frown  darkened  his 
face.  He  had  better  not  trifle  with  him.  He  must 
obey  without  question  or  take  the  consequences. 
He  was  in  no  mood  to  be  defied. 

Suddenly,  he  started  and  listened.  His  alert  ear 
had  caught  the  sound,,  of  approaching  footsteps  on 
the  stairs  outside.  A  moment  later  came  three  de- 
liberate knocks  on  the  door,  a  signal  which  indi- 
cated a  friendly  visitor.  Quickly,  Keralio  went 
forward  and  withdrew  the  bolt. 

Francois  entered,  suit  case  in  hand.  Hardly  be- 
fore he  could  take  breath  after  the  long  climb,  Ker- 
alio exclaimed: 

"Well,  how  are  they  going?" 

V. 

The  Frenchman  grinned. 

"A  merveille!  Like  hot  cakes.  I've  passed  all 
of  zem.  Good  work,  is  it  not?" 

"And  the  real  stuff?"  demanded  Keralio. 
289 


THE    MASK 


"Is  in  here." 

The  valet  pointed  to  the  leather  case. 

Eagerly  Keralio  seized  the  portmanteau,  and, 
opening  it,  emptied  the  contents.  A  perfect  shower 
of  greenbacks — genuine  ones  this  time — fell  upon 
the  floor.  With  shaking  hands,  like  a  miser  who 
trembles  as  he  handles  his  hoarded  gold,  Keralio 
picked  up  the  money  by  armfuls  and,  taking  it  to  a 
table,  proceeded  to  count  it. 

"Is  it  all  here?"  he  demanded  suspiciously. 

The  valet  scowled. 

"Do  you  think  I'm  holding  any  back  on  you? 
'Ma  foi,  non!" 

Keralio,  still  counting,  fixed  his  assistant  with 
steely,  piercing  eyes. 

"No,  Francois,  I  think  you  know  me  too  well 
for  that.  You  know  I  never  forget  a  service ;  you 
also  know  I  never  forgive  anyone  who  crosses  my 
will." 

The  valet  shrugged  his  shoulders.  In  an  injured 
tone  he  asked: 

"What's  all  ze  talk  about?  I  work  well  for  you. 
I  do  your  dirty  work,  riest  ce  pas?  I  never  com- 

290 


THB    MASK 


plain — I  am  faithful.  What  more  would  you 
have?" 

"Why  should  you  complain?  You  get  your 
share,"  rejoined  his  chief  sternly. 

The  valet  was  silent  and  Keralio  went  on : 

"A  few  days  more  and  we'll  be  rid  of  all  the  new 
stuff.  Then  we'll  take  down  the  presses  and  carry 
away  the  parts,  piece  by  piece.  When  we're  ready 
to  leave  this  hole,  there  won't  be  a  shred  of  evidence 
left.  Have  you  heard  any  news  from  our  man  in 
Washington?  What  are  the  secret  service  men 
doing?" 

"Ze  alarm  is  given.  Zey  have  spotted  several 
of  ze  bills.  Half  a  dozen  of  ze  cleverest  sleuths  in 
ze  country  have  been  put  on  our  trail.  Zey  will  not 
succeed.  Ze  scent  is  cold.  We've  got  zem  com- 
pletely doped." 

Keralio  looked  anxious. 

"Is  there  any  danger  of  them  having  shadowed 
you  and  followed  you  here?" 

"No — mon  cher,  pas  le  moins  du  monde.  It  took 
me  three  hours  to  come  here  from  ze  Pennsylvania 
station — such  a  crazy  in  and  out  route  I  gave  ze 

291 


THE    MASK 


chauffeur.     If  they  succeed   in   following  such  a 
labyrinth  as  that,  they  deserve  to  get  us." 

Keralio  smiled  and  pointed  to  a  bottle  of  brandy 
on  the  table.  Approvingly,  he  said : 

"Good  boy!  There,  take  a  drink  and  a 
cigar " 

After  the  valet  had  refreshed  himself,  he  again 
confronted  his  chief. 

"What  else  a  votre  service?" 

Keralio  pointed  carelessly  to  a  seat.  In  a  com- 
manding tone,  he  said: 

"Yes — I  have  more  work  for  you.  Sit  down. 
I  will  tell  you." 

The  valet  took  a  chair  and  waited.  Keralio 
looked  at  him  meditatively  for  a  moment.  Then 
suddenly  he  asked: 

"When  did  you  leave  the  house?" 

"This  afternoon  at  three  o'clock." 

"When  did  Mrs.  Traynor  return  from  Phila- 
delphia?" 

"Yesterday — furious  at  the  hoax  played  upon 
her?  Miss  Dorothy  is  perfectly  well " 

Keralio  smiled. 

292 


THE    MASK 


"Of  course.     I  sent  that  telegram." 

The  valet  grinned.     Admiringly,  he  exclaimed: 

"You  are  admirable!  Quel  homme,  mon  dieuf 
quel  homme!" 

Paying  no  heed  to  the  compliment,  Keralio  went 
on: 

"What  did  Handsome  say?" 

"He  is  puzzled  himself  and  can't  understand. 
Everyone's  up  in  the  air.  They  think  it  is  a  dis- 
charged maid  who  did  it  for  spite." 

"The  next  time  Mrs.  Traynor  receives  a  sudden 
message  about  her  baby  it  will  not  be  a  hoax." 

The  valet  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

Keralio  did  not  answer  the  question  immediately, 
but  sat  nervously  twisting  his  fingers,  a  moody  sul- 
len look  in  his  pale  saturnine  face.  At  last,  break- 
ing the  heavy  silence,  he  said : 

"That  woman  insulted  me.  You  saw  it.  You 
were  there " 

The  valet  nodded. 

"You  mean  she  put  you  out — ah,  oui,  she  has  a 
'diable  of  a  temper  when  angry." 

293 


THE    MASK 


Keralio  nodded. 

"Yes — that  I  can  never  forgive.  She  shall  aslc 
my  pardon  on  her  knees.  I  will  break  her  spirit, 
humiliate  her  pride.  I  have  been  taxing  my  brain 
how  to  do  it.  At  last  I  have  hit  on  a  plan — one 
that  cannot  fail  and  you  shall  help  me." 

"In  what  way  s'il  vous  plait?" 

Bending  forward,  his  black  eyes  flashing,  Ker- 
alio said  earnestly: 

"That  woman  is  devoted  to  only  two  beings  in 
this  world — her  husband  and  her  baby.  Sooner  or 
later,  perhaps  only  in  a  few  days,  she  will  discover 
that  Handsome  is  an  impostor.  He  is  such  a  fool 
that  exposure  is  inevitable.  The  blow  will  almost 
kill  her.  Above  all,  it  will  humiliate  her  pride  to 
know  that  unwittingly  she  has  allowed  that  drunken 
brute,  that  poor  counterfeit  of  her  husband,  to 
caress  and  fondle  her.  Next  in  her  affections  comes 
her  baby.  If  any  danger  threatened  the  child,  she 
would  stop  at  nothing,  she  would  make  any  sacrifice 
to  ward  off  the  danger.  I  propose  to  bring  about 
just  that  situation " 

The  valet  half  started  up  from  his  chair.  Har- 
294 


THE    MASK 


dened  and  callous  as  he  was  in  crime,  he  was  hardly 
prepared  to  go  to  that  extreme. 

"Death?"  he  exclaimed,  horror  stricken,  "you 
would  kill  ze  child?" 

"No  fool— not  kill  the  child.  I'll  kidnap  it— 
that's  all.  We'll  bring  the  child  here  and,  then  I'll 
write  the  mother,  telling  her  where  it  is  and  to  come 
to  it,  but  warning  her  that  if  she  values  the  child's 
life,  she  must  tell  no  one,  and  must  come  here  un- 
accompanied. Once  she  is  here,  I  will  take  care 
of  the  rest.  Do  you  understand?" 

The  valet  breathed  more  freely. 

"So  you  will  that  I " 

His  chief  nodded. 

"Precisely.  You'll  take  the  flyer  to  Philadelphia. 
Say  you  come  from  the  mother.  They'll  have  no 
suspicion.  Take  the  child  and  come  here  at  once. 
Understand?" 

"Oui,  monsieur." 

Keralio  rose.    In  commanding  tones,  he  said: 

"Then  go  at  once." 

The  valet  went  to  get  his  hat.  As  he  approached 
the  door  Keralio  halted  him  and  said: 

295 


run  MASK 


"What's  Handsome  doing — keeping  sober?" 

"He  has  to,  for  I  lock  up  all  ze  liquor.  He  lives 
like  a  lord,  buying  swell  clothes,  riding  in  ze  auto- 
mobile. Last  night  he  lost  at  ze  club  $10,000  he 
had  drew  from  ze  bank." 

Keralio  gave  a  low  whistle. 

"The  deuce  he  did!  Living  high,  eh?  Well— 
that's  all  right.  Let  him  enjoy  it.  His  gay  life 
won't  last  long — only  just  as  long  as  it  suits  my 
purpose." 

"Hush!    Not  a  word — here  he  is!" 

From  the  landing  outside  came  the  sound  of  a 
heavy  body  lurching.  Then  came  the  noise  of 
someone  groping  for  the  handle,  followed  by  a 
furious  pounding  on  the  wooden  panels. 

"Open  up  there,  will  you!"  shouted  a  hoarse 
voice. 

"Drunk,  as  usual!"  said  Keralio  contemptuously. 

He  suddenly  threw  the  door  open  and  the  gam- 
bler, burly  and  unsteady  on  his  legs,  almost  fell  in. 
He  was  in  evening  dress,  his  collar  and  tie  rumpled, 
his  hair  unkempt.  His  face  was  flushed,  his  eyes 
bloodshot.  Reeling  in,  he  hiccoughed : 

296 


THE    MASK 


"What'n  h — 11  do  you  live  so  far  up  town  for? 
I  thought  I'd  never  get  here.  Say,  this  is  the  end 
of  the  world,  ain't  it?  Jumping  off  place,  eh? 
Stopped  several  times  on  the  way  to  get  a  drink. 
My  cabby  nearly  got  lost.  Been  driving  me  round 
for  three  hours  trying  to  locate  the  blooming  house. 
Charged  me  $5.  Hell  of  a  good  business,  ain't  it. 
Tain't  on  the  level  to  treat  an  old  pal  that  way. 
Y'oughter  be  ashamed  o'yourself." 

"I'm  more  ashamed  of  you — for  making  such  a 
beast  of  yourself,"  rejoined  Keralio  angrily.  "Stop 
your  cursed  noise  or  you'll  have  the  police  on  top 
of  us!" 

Without  ceremony,  he  pushed  the  newcomer  into 
a  seat  and  made  a  gesture  to  Francois  to  go.  The 
valet  went  toward  the  door. 

"Remember,"  said  Keralio  warningly.  "There 
must  be  no  blundering.  I  want  the  child  brought 
here " 

"Oui,  monsieur — it  shall  be  as  you  say." 

The  door  closed  and  Keralio  turned  quietly  to  the 
miner.  Sternly,  and  in  a  manner  that  brooked  no 
nonsense,  he  demanded: 

297 


THE    MASK 


"Did  you  bring  the  diamonds?" 

Handsome  grinned,  and  pointed  to  his  waist. 

"I've  got  'em  all  right !"  With  another  hiccough, 
he  added :  "But  there's  no  hurry,  old  sport.  Let's 
have  a  drink  before  we  get  talking  business." 

In  two  rapid  strides  Keralio  was  up  to  him. 
Fiercely  he  said : 

"Give  me  the  stones — give  me  them  I  say.  We've 

no  time  for  your  d d  fooling.  Hand  them 

over.  Come " 

For  a  moment  the  gambler  just  sat  and  looked 
at  his  master.  A  giant  in  physical  strength  com- 
pared with  the  slightly  built  foreigner,  he  could 
have  overpowered  him  as  a  child  might  crush  an 
egg-shell,  but  he  lacked  the  mentality,  the  magne- 
tism of  the  Italian.  He  was  cowed,  dominated  by 
the  stronger  mind.  Grumbling,  he  began  to  fumble 
at  his  waist: 

"I  don't  see  what's  the  hurry." 

"But  I  see,"  exclaimed  Keralio,  his  eyes  growing 
larger,  as  he  already  saw  the  colossal  stones  glit- 
tering in  his  hand. 

'the  next  instant  Handsome  had  slid  his  hand 
298 


THE    MASK 


under  his  waistcoat  and  unbuckled  a  belt  he  wore 
next  his  shirt.  Unfastening  a  pocket  and  taking 
out  the  contents,  he  growled: 

"Here  they  are!  I'm  glad  to  get  rid  of  the 
d d  things." 

With  a  cry  of  exultant  joy  Keralio  took  hold 
of  the  stones  and,  going  to  the  window,  greedily 
feasted  his  eyes  on  them.  Report  had  not  exag- 
gerated the  value  and  extraordinary  beauty  of  the 
gems.  They  were  worth  more  than  a  million. 

"What  do  I  get  out  of  it?"  whined  the  gambler. 

Keralio  regarded  him  with  contempt.  Dryly  he 
said: 

"You  get  out  of  it  that  you're  not  sitting  in  the 
electric  chair  for  murdering  your  twin  brother. 
You  get  out  of  it  that  you're  playing  the  role  of  the 
millionaire,  basking  in  the  smiles  of  your  brother's 
charming  wife,  and  making  a  drunken  beast  of 
yourself — that's  what  you  get  out  of  it.  Isn't  it 
enough?" 

Handsome  winced.  Keralio  had  a  direct  way  of 
saying  things  to  which  there  was  no  answer  possi- 
ble. 

299 


THE    MASK 


"All  right,"  he  grumbled,  "I'm  not  kicking." 

"No — I  wouldn't  if  I  were  you." 

Changing  the  topic,  Keralio  carelessly  lit  a  cigar- 
ette and,  between  the  puffs,  asked : 

"How's  your  wife?" 

"My  wife?    You  mean  his  wife?" 

Keralio  smiled. 

"Yours — for  the  time  being." 

Handsome  scowled. 

"It  isn't  so  easy  as  I  thought,"  he  replied.  "I 
don't  know  if  she  suspects  something's  wrong  or 
not,  but  ever  since  that  evening  she  was  called  to 
Philadelphia  she  avoids  me  like  the  pest.  I  can  see 
in  her  face  that  she's  puzzled.  'It's  my  husband, 
and  yet  not  my  husband' — that's  what  she's  think- 
ing all  the  time.  I  can  guess  her  thoughts  by  the 
expression  on  her  face." 

Keralio  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"That's  your  own  fault.  I  gave  you  the  oppor- 
tunity. You  failed  to  profit  by  it.  You  got  drunk 
the  first  night  you  arrived.  Kenneth  Traynor  was 
a  temperate  man.  Is  it  no  wonder  you  excited  won- 
der and  talk?  Then  you  were  stupid  under  ques- 

300 


THE    MASK 


tioning  and  gave  equivocal  answers.  Your  explan- 
ation to  Parker  about  the  diamonds  was  more  than 
unfortunate;  it  was  idiotic.  His  suspicions  were 
at  once  aroused.  He  may  yet  give  us  trouble  before 
we  have  time  to  get  rid  of  the  stones.  Finding  the 
wife  eluded  you,  you  began  to  stay  out  late  at  night. 
You  caroused,  you  drank  hard,  you  gambled — all 
of  which  follies  your  brother  never  committed.  In 
other  words,  you  are  a  fool." 

The  miner  pointed  to  the  diamonds  which  still 
lay  on  the  table.  Sulkily  he  asked : 

"Is  that  all  you  wanted?" 

Keralio  put  the  gems  away  in  his  pocket,  and 
pointed  to  the  stacks  of  newly  printed  counterfeit 
money  that  lay  in  stacks  all  over  the  floor. 

"No,  you  can  help  me  make  up  bundles  of  this 
stuff." 

Handsome  opened  wide  his  eyes  at  sight  of  the 
crisp  currency.  Greedily  he  exclaimed: 

"Say — that's  some  money !    Ain't  they  beauties  ?" 

Keralio  made  an  impatient  gesture  and,  taking  off 
his  coat,  made  a  gesture  to  his  companion  to  do 
likewise. 

301 


THE    MASK 


"Come — there's  no  time  to  talk.  We  must 
get  rid  of  it  all  before  morning.  For  all  I 
know  the  detectives  may  be  watching  the  house 
now." 


302 


CHAPTER   XVII 

I'M  sure  it  was  Mary,"  exclaimed  Ray  posi- 
tively. "I  never  did  like  the  girl.  She  was 
sullen  and  vicious  and  would  stop  at  nothing 
to  get  even  with  us  for  discharging  her." 

"Perhaps  you  are  right,"  said  Helen,  "although 
it  is  hard  to  believe  that  a  woman  would  do  such 
a  cruel  thing  to  a  mother.  Just  imagine  how  wor- 
ried I  was  all  the  way  to  Philadelphia,  only  to  find 
when  I  got  there  that  no  message  had  been  sent, 
and  Dorothy  was  perfectly  well." 

It  was  evening.  The  two  women  were  sitting 
alone  in  the  library  on  the  second  floor,  Ray  busy 
at  her  trousseau,  Helen  helping  her  with  a  piece 
of  embroidery.  The  master  of  the  house  was  ab- 
sent, as  usual.  He  had  not  come  home  to  dinner, 
having  telephoned  at  the  last  minute  that  he  was 
detained  at  the  club,  a  thing  of  such  common  occur- 
rence since  his  return  from  South  Africa  that  Helen 
had  come  to  accept  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  In- 

303 


THE    MASK 


deed,  things  had  come  to  such  a  pass  that  she  rather 
welcomed  his  absence.  She  preferred  the  sweet, 
amiable  companionship  of  her  little  sister  to  that 
of  a  man  who  had  suddenly  become  exacting,  over- 
bearing and  quarrelsome. 

"Why  don't  you  let  Dorothy  come  home?"  asked 
Ray.  "Then  you  wouldn't  have  this  constant  worry 
about  her." 

"I  think  I  will,  now  that  we  are  more  settled 
and  things  are  quieter.  I  wrote  to  auntie  to-day 
that  I  might  go  to  Philadelphia  one  day  next  week 
to  bring  her  home.  You  are  right.  I  shall  not  be 
happy  until  she's  with  me.  I  have  such  terrible 
dreams  about  her.  If  anything  were  to  happen  that 
child,  I  think  it  would  kill  me." 

Ray  nodded  approvingly.  Sympathetically,  she 
said: 

"Yes,  dear.  You'll  feel  better  satisfied  when  she's 
with  you.  Besides  she'll  be  a  companion  for  you — 
especially  when  I'm  married " 

Helen  sighed  and  turned  away  her  face  so  her 
sister  should  not  see  the  tears  that  suddenly  filled 
her  eyes.  Sorrowfully,  she  said : 

304 


THE    MASK 


"It  will  be  terrible  to  lose  you,  dear.  Of  course, 
I'm  happy  over  your  marriage.  It  would  be  very 
selfish  in  me  to  want  to  stand  in  the  way  of  your 
happiness.  I'm  sure  I  wish  you  and  Wilbur  every 
joy  imaginable.  But  I  shall  certainly  feel  very 
lonely  when  you  are  gone." 

The  young  girl  looked  closely  at  her  sister.  She 
realized  that  her  sister  was  no  longer  the  happy, 
contented  woman  she  once  was,  and  she  readily 
guessed  the  cause.  Helen  had  not  taken  her  into 
her  confidence,  but  she  had  ears  and  eyes.  Living 
in  the  house  in  such  close  intimacy,  she  could  not 
help  noticing  that  the  relations  between  the  wife 
and  husband  were  no  longer  what  they  had  been. 
Guardedly  she  said: 

"But  you  have  Kenneth." 

Helen  sighed  and  was  silent. 

Ray  looked  up.    More  gently  she  said : 

"Haven't  you  your  husband,  dear?" 

Her  sister  shook  her  head.  There  was  a  note 
of  utter  discouragement  and  melancholy  in  her  voice 
as  she  answered: 

"He  is  seldom  home — his  club  seems  to  have 
305 


THE    MASK 


more  attraction  for  him.  I  rarely  see  him  except 
at  breakfast  time."  She  was  silent  for  a  moment, 
and  then  added  quickly:  "Would  you  believe  that 
he  hasn't  been  home  a  single  night  since  the  time 
I  was  called  to  Philadelphia?" 

Ray  opened  her  eyes. 

"He's  out  all  night?" 

"Yes — all  night.  The  other  morning  it  was  seven 
o'clock  when  he  came  home — and  his  dress  suit  and 
shirt  looked  as  if  he  had  been  in  a  fight." 

The  young  girl  put  down  her  work  and  looked 
at  her  sister  in  dismay. 

"Sis! — what's  the  matter  with  Ken  all  at  once?" 

Helen  made  no  reply,  but  covering  her  face  with 
her  two  hands,  burst  into  tears.  Ray  rose  quickly 
and  going  over  to  where  she  was  sitting,  sat  on  the 
edge  of  the  chair  and  put  her  arms  about  her. 
Soothingly  she  said : 

"Don't  cry,  dear,  don't  cry.  He  will  soon  be  him- 
self again.  His  terrible  experience  on  the  steamer 
upset  him  dreadfully.  His  nervous  system  under- 
went such  a  shock  that  it  has  entirely  changed  his 
character.  Wilbur  says  it  is  quite  a  common  phe- 

306 


THE    MASK 


nomenon.  Only  the  other  day  he  read  in  some 
medical  book  an  article  on  that  very  subject.  The 
writer  says  any  great  shock  of  that  kind  can  cause 
a  temporary  disarrangement  of  the  moral  sense  and 
perceptions.  For  example,  a  man  who,  under  or- 
dinary circumstances  is  a  perfect  model  of  a  hus- 
band, with  every  good  quality  and  virtue,  may  sud- 
denly lose  all  sense  of  conduct  and  become  an 
unprincipled  roue.  In  other  words,  we  have  two 
natures  within  us.  When  our  system  is  working 
normally  we  succeed  in  keeping  the  evil  that's  in 
us  under  control;  but  following  any  great  shock, 
the  system  is  disarranged,  the  evil  gains  the  as- 
cendancy, and  we  appear  quite  another  person.  This 
explains  the  dual  personality  about  which  Wilbur 
and  I  had  an  argument  the  other  day.  Don't  you 
remember  ?" 

Helen  nodded.     Sadly  she  said: 

"I  begin  to  think  you  are  right.  Certainly  he 
has  changed.  If  he  had  been  like  this  when  I  first 
met  him  I  should  never  have  married  him.  It  is 
not  the  Kenneth  I  learned  to  love."  Bitterly,  she 
added:  "As  he  is  now,  I  feel  I  dislike  and  detest 

307 


THB    MASK 


him.  Unless  he  soon  changes  for  the  better,  I  shall 
leave  him.  In  self  respect  I  can't  go  on  living  like 
this?" 

Kissing  her  sister  again,  Ray  rose  and  went  back 
to  her  seat.  Confidently,  she  said : 

"Don't  worry,  dear.  I'm  sure  everything  will 
be  all  right  soon.  You  see  if  I'm  not  right.  By 
my  wedding  day — only  three  weeks  away  now—- 
you'll think  as  much  of  Ken  as  ever " 

"I  hope  so,  dear,  but  three  weeks  is  a  long  time 
to  wait " 

The  young  girl  laughed. 

"Why  that's  nothing  at  all.  Just  imagine  Ken  is 
ill  or  gone  away  from  you  on  a  visit  for  that  length 
of  time " 

As  she  spoke  the  door  opened,  and  Francois  en- 
tered with  a  silver  salver,  which  he  presented  to  his 
mistress. 

"A  letter  for  Madame." 

Helen  looked  at  the  envelope  and  threw  it  down 
with  a  gesture  of  impatience.  Crossly,  she  ex- 
claimed : 

"Francois,  I  do  wish  you'd  be  more  careful. 
308 


THE    MASK 


Can't  you  read.  Don't  you  see  the  letter  is  ad- 
dressed to  Mr.  Traynor?" 

The  valet  nodded. 

"Oi«,  madame.  But  as  Monsieur  is  out  I 
thought  that  possibly  madame " 

Incensed  more  at  the  fellow's  impudent  air  than 
by  what  he  actually  said,  Helen  lost  her  temper. 
Angrily,  she  exclaimed: 

"Don't  think.  People  of  your  class  are  not  hired 
to  think;  they  are  paid  to  do  as  they  are  told. 
You've  been  very  careless  in  your  work  recently. 
The  next  time  it  happens  I  shall  have  to  tell  you 
to  find  another  place." 

The  valet  smiled.  An  insolent  look  passed  over 
his  sallow,  angular  face.  Dropping  completely  his 
deferential  manner  and  fixing  the  two  women  with 
a  bold,  familiar  stare,  he  said  impudently: 

"You  needn't  wait  till  next  time.  I'll  quit  right 
now,  parbleu.  It's  a  rotten  job,  anyhow." 

Indignant,  Helen  pointed  to  the  door. 

"Go!"  she  cried.  "The  housekeeper  will  settle 
with  you.  Never  let  me  see  your  face  again." 

The  Frenchman  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  went 
309 


THE    MASK 


toward  the  door.     As  he  reached  it,   he  turned 
round,  a  sneer  on  his  face: 

"You'll  see  me  again  all  right,  but  ze  circum- 
stances may  be  different?  My  lady  may  not  be  so 
proud  ze  next  time." 

With  this  parting  shot,  he  went  away,  and  a 
moment  later  they  heard  him  going  up  to  his  room 
to  pack  his  things. 

Ray  turned  to  her  sister.    Reprovingly,  she  said : 
"Weren't  you  a  little  severe  with  him?" 
Helen  shook  her  head.     Quickly,  she  said: 
"I  never  could  bear  the  sight  of  the  man.    He  is 
treacherous  and  deceitful.    I'm  not  at  all  sure  that 
he's  honest.    It  was  only  after  he'd  been  here  some 
time  that  I  learned  he  was  formerly  with  Signor 
Keralio.    That  was  enough  to  set  me  against  him. 
Like  master,  like  valet,  as  the  saying  goes,  and  it's 
usually  a  true  saying.    On  several  occasions  lately 
I  have  noticed  things  that  seemed  suspicious.    The 
fellow  is  more  intimate  now  with  Kenneth  than  I, 
his  wife,  have  ever  been.     Only  the  other  day  I 
discovered  them  in  earnest  and  intimate  conver- 
sation.    Directly  I  appeared   they  separated   and 

310 


THE    MASK 


Frangois,  instead  of  continuing  to  converse  on  terms 
of  apparent  social  equality,  was  once  more  the  fawn- 
ing valet.  I  didn't  take  the  trouble  to  ask  Kenneth 
what  it  all  meant.  So  many  singular  things  have 
happened  since  his  return,  that  this  only  adds  one 
more  to  the  list." 

"May  I  come  in?"  said  a  voice. 

Helen  looked  up  quickly.  It  was  Wilbur  Steell 
who  was  standing  at  the  door  with  his  head  half  in 
the  room,  laughing  at  them.  The  two  women  had 
been  so  busy  talking  that  they  had  not  heard  the 
sound  of  approaching  footsteps.  With  an  excla- 
mation of  joy  Ray  jumped  to  her  feet  and  ran  up 
to  him. 

"It's  Wilbur — my  precious  Wilbur!" 

Helen  nodded  approvingly,  as  she  noticed  the 
girl's  enthusiasm.  Certainly  her  sister  had  changed. 
She  was  hardly  the  cold,  self-centered  Ray  of  six 
months  ago.  With  a  smile  she  said : 

"It's  astonishing  how  a  man  can  alter  a  girl — if 
he's  the  right  kind." 

The  lawyer  laughed. 

"It  works  both  ways.    The  right  kind  of  woman 

3" 


THE    MASK 


can  make  a  man  change  his  ways — even  a  hardened 
old  bachelor.  Who  could  have  guessed  that  I  would 
ever  fall  in  love?" 

Helen  sighed. 

"What  is  love?  We  have  it  to-day;  it  eludes 
us  to-morrow.  A  few  weeks  ago  I  thought  I  loved 
my  husband  better  than  any  being  in  the  world. 
To-day,  I  can  hardly  look  him  in  the  face.  How 
do  you  account  for  it?" 

Dropping  into  a  chair,  the  lawyer  look  serious. 

"I  can't  account  for  it,  nor  can  I  blame  you.  Ken- 
neth has  returned  from  South  Africa  a  changed 
man.  Whether  the  wreck  and  the  loss  of  the  dia- 
monds affected  his  mind  I  do  not  know.  Only  a 
psychologist  could  determine  that.  But  he  is  not 
the  same.  Where  is  he  to-night?" 

Helen  threw  up  her  hands. 

"Do  I  ever  know?"  she  exclaimed  wearily.  "I 
haven't  seen  him  since  morning,  and  don't  expect 
to  see  him  before  breakfast  to-morrow.  He's  at  his 
club  or  drinking  and  carousing,  or  in  some  gam- 
bling house  playing  roulette.  How  do  I  know?" 

"It  is  certainly  a  most  singular  case,"  said  the 
312 


THE    MASK 


lawyer  meditatively.  "Mr.  Parker  and  I  have  gone 
carefully  over  his  accounts  at  the  Company's  office. 
Everything  is  perfectly  regular.  There  only  re- 
mains the  missing  diamonds.  We  have  detectives 
working  on  half  a  dozen  clues  but  so  far  we  have 
accomplished  nothing.  We  have  also  gone  to  Wash- 
ington to  get  the  secret  service  men  interested  in 
the  case  on  the  ground  that  if  the  diamonds  are 
here  they  were  smuggled  in  and  no  duty  was  paid. 
But  we  found  the  secret  service  men  busy  follow- 
ing up  counterfeiters.  The  country  is  being  flooded 
with  counterfeit  $10  bills — a  splendid  reproduction, 
almost  defying  detection.  It  is  believed  that  the 
plates  and  presses  from  which  they  are  made  are 
right  here  in  New  York  and  the  whole  secret  ser- 
vice force  is  at  work  trying  to  run  the  counterfeiters 
to  earth.  This  is  why  our  diamond  case  is  going  so 
slowly.  They  are  so  busy  following  up  the  coun- 
terfeiters they  have  no  time  for  us." 

Ray,  much  interested,  leaned  eagerly  forward. 

"A  counterfeit  ten  dollar  bill,  did  you  say?"  she 
'demanded. 

"Yes — it  is  a  remarkable  counterfeit.  You  would 
313 


THE    MASK 


not  know  it  from  a  good  one.  Only  an  expert  can 
tell  the  difference.  But  all  these  crooks  overreach 
themselves.  Clever  as  they  are,  they  usually  leave 
some  mark  which  betrays  them.  For  example,  in 
printing  this  bill  which  bears  the  head  of  Lincoln, 
they  have  spelled  his  first  name  'Abrahem' — in 
other  words,  the  engraver  made  an  V  when  it 
should  have  been  'a.' ' 

Ray  jumped  up,  quite  excited.  Her  eyes  flash- 
ing, she  cried. 

"Isn't  that  strange!  I  have  a  new  $10  bill,  and 
I  noticed  to-day  the  queer  spelling  of  Abraham. 
Wouldn't  it  be  funny  if  I  had  one  of  the  counter- 
feits?" 

The  lawyer  smiled. 

"It  wouldn't  be  funny;  it  would  be  a  trag- 
edy, considering  that  in  a  short  while  from  now 
I  am  to  pay  your  bills.  Where  is  the  bank 
note?" 

"I'll  run  up  and  get  it.    It's  in  my  purse." 

When  she  had  disappeared,  Steell  turned  to  his 
hostess  and  said: 

"Have  you  seen  Signer  Keralio  lately?" 
3H 


"Hardly — you  know  I  dismissed  him  from  the 
house." 

The  lawyer  sat  thoughtfully  drumming  his  fin- 
gers on  the  table.  Musingly,  he  said : 

"Somehow  I  have  a  hunch  that  that  fellow  knows 
something  about  the  diamonds.  Does  Kenneth  ever 
see  him?" 

"I  asked  him  the  other  day.    He  said  he  did  not." 

"That's  strange !"  exclaimed  the  lawyer.  "It  was 
only  yesterday  morning  that  I  saw  them  together 
in  a  taxicab." 

"Where?"  demanded  Helen,  surprised. 

"Away  uptown.  I  had  business  up  in  the  Bronx. 
I  was  driving  my  car  and  was  near  2ooth  street 
and  going  north  when  suddenly  I  had  to  steer  to 
one  side  to  allow  a  taxicab  to  pass.  There  were  two 
men  in  it.  I  just  chanced  to  glance  inside  and,  to 
my  surprise,  I  recognized  your  husband  and  Ker- 
alio." 

"What  time  was  that?" 

"Very  early — about  nine  o'clock." 

"What  direction?" 

"They  were  coming  south." 

315 


THE    MASK 


"Then  he  must  have  been  with  Keralio  all  night, 
for  he  didn't  come  home." 

The  lawyer  was  silent.  Certainly  here  was  a 
mystery  which  needed  more  detective  talent  than 
he  possessed  to  clear  up.  Yet  he  would  not  rest 
until  it  was  solved.  To-morrow  he  would  get  Dick 
Reynolds  busy,  and  they  would  go  to  work  in  ear- 
nest. The  first  thing  to  find  out  was  what  took 
Keralio  and  Kenneth  to  the  Bronx. 

"Does  Keralio  live  in  the  Bronx?" 

"I  don't  know,"  said  Helen. 

"I'll  find  out,"  said  the  lawyer,  grimly. 

At  that  moment  Ray  returned,  holding  out  a 
new  ten-dollar  bill. 

"I  was  right,"  she  cried.  "The  name  Abraham 
is  spelled  with  an  *e.'  Do  you  really  think  this  is  a 
counterfeit  ?" 

The  lawyer  took  the  bill  and  examined  it  criti- 
cally. 

"I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  he  answered.  "There  are 
other  indications — the  general  appearance,  the  touch 
of  the  paper.  Where  did  you  get  it?" 

For  a  moment  the  young  girl  was  puzzled. 
316 


THE    MASK 


"Let  me  think.  Where  did  I  get  it.  Oh  yes, 
I  know.  Francois  gave  it  to  me." 

"Frangois!"   exclaimed  Helen. 

The  lawyer  started  and  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"Francois,  your  brother-in-law's  valet?" 

"Yes — I  wanted  a  $20  bill  changed  to  pay  for 
some  things  that  came  home  from  the  store,  and 
he  went  out  and  brought  me  some  old  bills  and  this 
new  one." 

The  lawyer  gave  vent  to  a  low,  expressive  whistle. 

"Francois  gave  it  to  you,  eh?  .Where  is  Fran- 
gois?" 

"I  discharged  him  to-day  for  insolence,"  said 
Helen. 

"He's  gone!" 

"Yes — he  went  shortly  before  you  came  in." 

The  lawyer  jumped  to  his  feet,  a  look  of  exulta- 
tion on  his  face.  Quickly,  he  said: 

"Didn't  you  say  that  this  Francois  was  formerly 
with  Signor  Keralio?" 

"Yes — he  was  with  him  for  years." 

The  lawyer  gave  a  wild  whoop  of  joy. 

"Then  we've  got  it— at  last." 
317 


THB    MASK 


"Got  what?"  cried  the  women. 

"A  clue — a  clue!"  cried  the  lawyer,  excitedly. 
"Can't  you  see  it?  Frangois  is  hand  in  glove  with 
Keralio — the  master  rogue  who  is  making  this  coun- 
terfeit." 

"What  do  you  propose  to  do?" 

"Find  where  Keralio  lives — then,  perhaps,  we'll 
find  the  lost  diamonds." 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

HIS  way,"  whispered  Dick,    as  he  darted 
swiftly  from  door  to  door,  "keep  close 
behind  me,  and  stick  to  the  wall,  or  he'll 
see  you." 

But  Frangois  was  so  utterly  fagged  after  his 
long  walk  from  the  Elevated  road,  carrying  his 
heavy  suitcase,  that  he  worried  about  nothing  save 
his  own  discomfort.  Unable  to  find  a  taxi,  he 
had  been  compelled  to  tramp  the  entire  distance, 
and  the  fatigue  of  it  had  made  him  peevish.  He 
could  have  saved  himself  at  least  a  mile  if  he  had 
taken  a  more  direct  road,  but  Keralio's  orders  were 
explicit.  He  must  always  follow  a  circuitous  route 
so  as  to  throw  possible  pursuers  off  the  scent.  There 
was  no  disobeying  the  orders  of  the  chief,  so  on  he 
trudged,  looking  neither  to  right  nor  left,  up  one 
street,  down  another,  now  crossing  an  empty  lot, 
now  darting  through  a  narrow  alley,  through  the 
wastes  and  dreariness  of  Bronxville. 

319 


As  he  approached  his  journey's  end,  he  acceler- 
ated his  pace,  going  along  so  fast  that  it  was  as 
much  as  Dick  and  Steell  could  do  to  keep  up  with 
him.  The  night  was  dark  and  foggy,  and  at  times 
they  could  not  see  him  for  the  mist.  But  as  he 
came  within  the  glare  of  each  lamp  post,  they  could 
make  out  his  lithe  figure,  scurrying  along  as  if  the 
devil  himself  were  at  his  heels. 

"Let's  get  up  closer,"  gasped  Dick,  who  was 
winded  from  the  long  chase.  "I  guess  their  den 
is  in  this  neighborhood.  He'll  slip  in  somewhere 
and  we'll  lose  him  if  we  keep  so  far  away." 

"No — he  may  see  us,"  whispered  Steell  cautious- 
ly. "We  can  make  him  out  all  right." 

They  increased  their  pace  a  little.  The  valet  was 
less  than  two  blocks  away,  and  once  he  actually 
stopped  and  looked  around  as  if  to  see  if  he  was 
followed.  Quickly  Steell  and  Dick  darted  under  a 
doorway,  and,  seeing  nothing  to  arouse  his  sus- 
picion, Francois  went  on. 

The  lawyer  was  taking  no  chances  to-night.  It 
was  too  good  a  game  to  spoil.  That  they  were  on 
the  right  trail  at  last  he  was  morally  certain.  Ray's 

320 


THE    MASK 


experience  had  given  him  the  first  clue.  After 
that  it  was  easy.  For  two  days  Dick  had  shadowed 
the  valet,  and  seen  him  changing  crisp  $10  bills  in 
half  a  dozen  different  places.  The  lawyer  could 
have  had  him  arrested  at  once,  but  he  was  after 
bigger  game.  It  was  not  enough  to  arrest  Fran- 
Qois.  He  was  only  the  tool.  They  must  get  the 
man  higher  up,  the  man  who  employed  him.  That 
man,  the  lawyer  felt  equally  confident,  was  Keralio. 
He  was  the  master  counterfeiter.  The  first  step  to 
take  was  to  find  out  where  the  counterfeiting  was 
done,  where  Keralio  had  his  plant,  and  the  only 
way  to  do  this  was  to  follow  the  valet  to  his  mas- 
ter's secret  den. 

For  several  days  they  had  shadowed  the  French- 
man constantly,  until  to-night  they  were  rewarded 
by  seeing  him  start  with  a  suit  case  in  the  direction 
of  the  Bronx.  They  quickly  gave  chase,  the  lawyer 
confident  of  results.  It  was  not  part  of  his  plan, 
however,  to  hurry  matters  or  do  things  prematurely. 
To-night  they  would  merely  reconnoiter.  They 
would  content  themselves  by  watching  the  premises, 
seeing  who  came  and  went,  and  trying  to  obtain 

321 


THE    MASK 


a  glimpse  of  the  interior.  If  the  evidence  was  in- 
criminating enough  to  make  a  raid  successful,  it 
would  always  be  time  enough  to  call  in  the  police. 
Keralio,  he  was  also  well  convinced,  had  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  missing  diamonds,  and  possi- 
bly the  present  investigation  would  throw  some 
light  on  the  mystery  surrounding  Kenneth  himself. 
He  had  made  no  mention  of  his  suspicions  to  Helen, 
but  he  could  not  help  feeling  that  in  some  way,  yet 
to  be  discovered,  his  old  comrade  had  become  in- 
volved with  a  band  of  crooks.  How  otherwise  ex- 
plain his  acquaintance  with  Keralio,  an  utter 
stranger  of  dubious  antecedents.  How  explain  the 
loss  of  the  diamonds?  The  explanation  Kenneth 
had  given  was  decidedly  fishy.  Parker  did  not  be- 
lieve a  word  of  it — in  fact,  frankly  expressed,  his 
opinion  was  that  his  vice-president  had  disposed  of 
the  gems.  Had  he  himself  not  seen  Kenneth  driv- 
ing about  the  Bronx  with  Keralio  at  an  impossible 
hour?  Had  not  Helen  discovered  Francpis  con- 
versing on  intimate  terms  with  his  master?  It  all 
looked  decidedly  bad;  only  time  could  unravel  it 
all.  It  was  a  fearful  thing  to  suspect  a  man  of 

322 


THE    MASK 


Kenneth's  standing,  but  everything  pointed  to  his 
being  involved  in  a  vast  network  of  crime. 

He  was  aroused  from  his  reflections  by  an  excla- 
mation of  warning  from  his  companion. 

"Quick — there  he  goes!"  whispered  Dick. 

The  valet  had  suddenly  made  a  sharp  turn  to 
the  right,  and  was  lost  to  view.  But  quick  as  he 
was,  Dick  was  quicker.  The  young  man  was  a  lit- 
tle ahead  of  the  lawyer,  and,  putting  on  a  spurt 
of  speed,  he  reached  the  corner  just  in  time  to  see 
the  Frenchman  and  suitcase  disappear  into  a  grimy, 
dilapidated  looking  tenement  at  the  end  of  a  blind 
alley. 

"We've  run  the  fox  to  earth,"  whispered  Steell 
exultantly. 

"Could  any  melodrama  wish  for  a  more  appro- 
priate mise-en-scene?"  grinned  Dick. 

"Come  opposite,  and  find  out  what  we  can  see 
from  the  outside." 

Crossing  the  street  they  took  up  positions  in 
the  shadow  of  a  doorway. 

The  house  which  the  Frenchman  had  entered  was 
all  dark  and  apparently  tenantless,  except  on  the 

323 


THE    MASK 


top  floor  where  lights  could  be  faintly  seen  behind 
hermetically  sealed  shutters.  Straining  his  ears, 
Steell  thought  he  could  hear  the  steady  hum  of  ma- 
chinery in  motion.  With  an  exclamation  of  satis- 
faction, he  turned  to  his  companion : 

"We've  got  'em,  Dick,  we've  got  'em.  Do  you 
hear  the  presses  going?" 

The  young  man  listened.  The  sound  was  plainly 
audible,  but  it  was  a  muffled  sound,  as  if  the  walls 
and  windows  were  padded  with  mattresses  to  pre- 
vent any  sounds  of  the  operations  within  from 
reaching  inquisitive,  outside  ears. 

"Let's  go  upstairs,"  whispered  Steell. 

Recrossing  the  road,  they  entered  the  house  and 
began  to  grope  their  way  up  the  narrow,  winding 
staircase.  They  could  make  only  slow  progress, 
not  only  because  of  the  absence  of  light,  but  owing 
to  the  rotten  condition  of  the  stairs.  Indescribably 
filthy  and  littered  with  all  sorts  of  rubbish  and 
broken  glass,  in  some  places  the  boards  had  broken 
through  entirely,  leaving  gaping  holes,  which  were 
so  many  dangerous  pitfalls.  Twice  the  lawyer  came 
near  breaking  his  neck. 

324 


THE    MASK 


At  last  they  reached  the  top,  both  out  of  breath 
from  the  long  and  perilous  climb. 

"Hush  —  there  it  is!"  whispered  Dick  pointing  at 
the  end  of  a  narrow  hall  to  a  door  from  underneath 
which  issued  a  faint  glimmer  of  light. 

Cautiously,  noiselessly,  treading  on  tiptoe,  the 
lawyer  and  his  companion  crept  along  the  passage 
until  they  came  to  the  door.  They  listened.  There 
was  not  a  sound.  Even  the  hum  of  machinery 
which  they  had  heard  in  the  street,  had  ceased. 
Could  the  inmates  have  taken  alarm? 

All  at  once  they  heard  people  talking.  Instantly, 
Steell  recognized  the  voice  of  Keralio.  He  was 
questioning  someone,  no  doubt  the  valet.  They 
listened. 

"Well,  did  you  carry  out  my  orders?" 

"Oui,  monsieur,  ze  last  of  ze  ten-dollar  bills  has 
been  passed.  I  have  ze  money  here." 

"I  did  not  mean  that,"  broke  in  Keralio  impa- 
tiently. "I  mean  as  regards  the  child  -  " 


ij  monsieur.  Didn't  you  receive  my  telegram. 
I  brought  the  child  from  Philadelphia  yesterday 
evening." 

325 


THB    MASK 


Steell,  puzzled,  turned  to  his  companion. 

"What  child  are  they  talking  about?"  he  whis- 
pered. 

"I  have  no  idea.  Some  more  mischief  they're 
up  to,  I  guess." 

Again  Keralio's  voice  was  heard  asking : 

"Where  is  Handsome  to-day?  I  told  him  to 
come.  Why  isn't  he  here?" 

"He's  drinking  again,  monsieur.  When  he's 
drunk  you  can't  do  anything  with  him.  He's  get- 
ting ugly  about  ze  diamonds." 

Steell  nudged  his  fellow  eavesdropper. 

"Did  you  hear  that?"  he  whispered.  "He  spoke 
of  diamonds!" 

Keralio  was  heard  bursting  into  a  peal  of  savage 
laughter. 

"Getting  ugly  is  he?    What  does  he  want?" 

"He  says  you  promised  him  half  of  ze  proceeds 
when  ze  diamonds  were  sold,  and  that  now  you  are 

trying  to  do  him  out  of  it He  says  he's  sick  of 

ze  whole  thing  and  will  squeal  to  ze  police  unless 
you  do  ze  right  thing." 

326 


THE    MASK 


Straining  every  nerve  to  hear,  Steell  glued  his 
ear  to  the  door. 

Keralio  burst  out  fiercely : 

"Squeal,  will  he,  the  dog?  I'd  like  to  know  what 
will  become  of  him  when  the  final  reckoning's  paid. 
Will  he  tell  the  police  that  he  was  a  drunken  ad- 
venturer in  the  South  African  mining  camps  before 
his  twin  brother,  Kenneth  Traynor,  arrived  at  Cape 
Town?  Will  he  tell  the  police  that  he  set  the 
steamer  afire,  murdered  his  own  brother,  and,  profit- 
ing by  the  extraordinary  resemblance,  returned  to 
New  York,  passing  himself  off  as  the  man  who 
went  away.  No,  he  won't  tell  all  that,  will  he  ?  But 
I  will.  Did  you  bring  the  money?  Let  me  see  it." 

The  talking  suddenly  ceased,  and  was  followed 
by  a  deep  silence.  Steell,  staggered  at  this  unex- 
pected revelation,  almost  stumbled  in  his  eagerness 
to  hear  more.  Turning  to  his  companion,  he  ex- 
claimed in  a  horror-stricken  whisper: 

"My  God!  Did  you  hear  that?  It's  even  worse 
than  I  feared.  They've  done  away  with  Kenneth. 
That  man  at  the  house  is  an  impostor !" 

327 


THH    MASK 


"An  impostor?"  ejaculated  Dick.  "Impossible. 
Don't  we  all  know  Kenneth  when  we  see  him?" 

"Nothing's  impossible !"  rejoined  the  lawyer  hur- 
riedly. "Kenneth  had  a  twin  brother — the  resem- 
blance was  so  extraordinary  as  children  that  no  one 
knew  them  apart.  The  brother  disappeared  years 
ago.  They  thought  him  dead.  Kenneth  must  have 
come  across  him  in  South  Africa.  This  brother 
killed  him  and  took  his  place.  It's  all  clear  to  me 
now.  We're  in  a  den  of  assassins!" 

Inside  the  conversation  began  again. 

"Hush!    Listen!"  whispered  Steell. 

The  voice  of  Keralio  was  once  more  raised  in 
angry  tones. 

"Didn't  I  tell  you  that  I  wanted  the  child  brought 
here  at  once?" 

"Oui,  monsieur,  but  I  could  not.  I  had  ze  rest 
of  ze  money  to  get  rid  of  and  ze  suitcase  to  carry. 
I  will  bring  her  in  a  taxi  to-morrow." 

"Where  is  she?" 

"Safe  in  the  care  of  the  woman  who  runs  my 
boarding  house." 

"When  did  you  bring  her  from  Philadelphia?" 
328 


ftHH    MASK 


"Yesterday  afternoon." 

"Did  you  have  any  trouble?" 

"Non,  monsieur.  I  didn't  even  have  to  go  to  ze 
house,  although  I  had  a  plausible  story  all  ready. 
I  was  going  to  say  that  Mrs.  Traynor  had  sent  me 
to  fetch  Miss  Dorothy  because  her  mother  wanted 
her  home  for  ze  coming  marriage  of  Miss  Ray. 
But  it  wasn't  necessary  to  lie  about  it.  I  found  ze 
child  playing  in  ze  street  near  the  house.  I  merely 
told  her  her  mamma  wanted  her  to  come  home,  gave 
her  some  candy,  and  she  followed  me  willingly 
enough." 

"By  this  time  the  alarm  has  been  given." 

"Sans  doute,  monsieur.  They  probably  tele- 
graphed Mrs.  Traynor  last  night  that  ze  child  was 
missing " 

The  voices  again  stopped.  Steell,  his  face  white, 
and  fists  clenched,  turned  to  his  companion: 

"Good  Heavens,  Dick,  did  you  hear  that? 
They've  kidnapped  Mrs.  Traynor's  little  girl — no 
doubt,  with  the  idea  of  demanding  ransom.  Thank 
God,  we're  in  time  to  frustrate  that  crime " 

"Hush !"  exclaimed  his  companion.    "Listen !" 
329 


THE    MASK 


Keralio  proceeded: 

"Now  you  understand  what  you  are  to  do.  You 
bring  the  child  here  to-morrow  morning.  Mean- 
time, I  have  already  written  in  a  disguised  hand 
to  Mrs.  Traynor  telling  her  that  her  child  is  safe — 
for  the  present,  and  that  if  she  wants  to  see  her 
she  must  come  here  to-morrow  afternoon.  I  warned 
her  that  if  she  communicated  with  the  police  or  in- 
formed any  of  her  friends,  the  child  would  be  put 
to  death  before  it  would  be  possible  to  effect  a  res- 
cue. That  ought  to  bring  her  here " 

"Would  monsieur  go  as  far  as  to  kill " 

"Why  not,"  demanded  Keralio  fiercely.  "I  per- 
mit nothing  to  stand  in  the  way  of  my  will.  That 
woman  can  save  her  child's  life,  but  she  must  pay 
the  price  I  ask.  She  shall  learn  what  it  costs  to 
dismiss  me  from  her  house " 

The  valet  was  heard  to  chuckle  as  he  said: 

"I  don't  love  her  any  too  much  myself.  She  dis- 
charged me  from  her  employ  the  other  day  so 
haughtily  I  felt  like  a  whipped  cur." 

Again  there  was  silence,  followed  by  a  muffled 
hammering. 

330 


THH    MASK 


"They're  taking  the  printing  press  apart,"  whis- 
pered Dick,  who  through  the  keyhole,  had  man- 
aged to  get  a  glimpse  of  machinery.  "If.  we  don't 
act  quickly,  they'll  get  away  with  all  the  evidence. 
Hadn't  we  better  go  and  call  the  police?" 

For  answer,  the  lawyer  put  his  fingers  to  his 
lips  with  a  warning  gesture,  and  beckoning  the 
young  man  to  follow,  retraced  his  steps  on  tiptoe 
along  the  narrow,  dark  hall  and  down  the  filthy, 
winding  staircase.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  by 
either  man  until  they  reached  the  street.  Once  in 
the  open  air,  the  lawyer  turned  and  said: 

"Dick,  we've  uncovered  as  black  a  plot  as  was 
ever  hatched  in  hell.  If  we  don't  queer  the  game 
and  put  them  all  in  the  chair  it  won't  be  my  fault. 
We  can't  bring  poor  Kenneth  back  to  life,  but  we 
can  and  will  revenge  his  cowardly  murder.  It  will 
be  a  positive  joy  to  me  to  see  that  arch-scoundrel 
Keralio  electrocuted." 

"What  do  you  propose  to  do?"  asked  his  com- 
panion. "Hadn't  we  better  call  Mrs.  Traynor 
on  the  telephone  and  warn  her  before  it's  too 
late?" 


THB    MASK 


The  lawyer  was  silent  for  a  few  moments.  Then 
meditatively,  he  said : 

"No,  that  would  be  a  mistake.  No  doubt,  by 
this  time,  she  has  received  Keralio's  anonymous 
letter.  She  is  probably  frantic  with  anxiety  over 
the  news  of  her  child's  disappearance,  and  will  re- 
spond eagerly  to  any  clue  that  promises  to  take  her 
to  her  child.  If  we  warned  her  she  would  pay  no 
heed.  She  might  pretend  to,  but  only  to  pacify  us. 
Afraid  that  punishment  might  be  visited  on  the 
child,  she  would  obey  the  warning  not  to  talk,  and 
she  will  come  here  to  Keralio's  flat  to-morrow  at 
the  time  the  letter  stated.  Of  course,  she  has  no 
idea  Keralio  wrote  the  letter.  But  even  if  she  had, 
it  would  make  no  difference.  I  know  her.  She 
would  run  any  risk  to  save  her  child." 

"I  think  you're  right,"  replied  Dick,  "but  how, 
then,  will  you  help  her  ?  There  is  no  knowing  what 
Keralio's  object  is  in  enticing  her  here — you  can 
be  sure  it's  nothing  good." 

"Precisely — that's  why  we,  too,  must  be  on  hand, 
together  with  a  strong  force  of  detectives.  We'll 
get  them  all.  There  will  be  no  possible  escape. 

332 


THE    MASK 


We'll  surround  the  house  with  men.     They'll  be 
caught  like  rats  in  a  trap." 

The  lawyer  turned  to  go. 

"Where  are  you  bound  now?"  asked  Dick. 

"To  police  headquarters!" 


333 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THERE — take  a  little    water — you're  much 
better  now!"  said  the  nurse,  soothingly. 
The   patient   swallowed   greedily   the 
cooling   drink   handed   to    him,    and,    tired    even 
by  that  small  effort,  fell  back  on  his  pillows  ex- 
hausted. 

"Where  am  I  ?"  he  inquired  of  the  comely  young 
woman,  who  in  neat  service  uniform,  hovered  about 
the  bed. 

"You're  in  St.  Mary's  Hospital." 
"In  New  York?"  he  queried. 

"No — San  Francisco " 

He  was  too  weak  to  question  further,  but  his  hol- 
low blue  eyes  followed  her  as  she  moved  here  and 
there,  attending  skilfully  and  swiftly  to  the  duties 
of  the  sick  room.  Presently  he  made  another  ven- 
ture : 

"Have  I  been  ill  long?" 
334 


THE    M\ASK 


"Yes — very  long." 

"What's  the  matter?" 

"Concussion  of  the  brain,  pneumonia  and  shock. 
Ydu  are  much  better  now,  but  you  mustn't  talk  so 
much  or  you  may  have  a  relapse." 

He  asked  no  more,  but  passed  his  hand  over  his 
brow  in  a  bewildered  sort  of  way.  Presently,  he 
began  again: 

"Does  my  wife  come  to  see  me?" 

The  nurse  stopped  in  her  work  and  looked  at  him 
curiously.  In  surprise,  she  exclaimed: 

"Your  wife!    Have  you  a  wife?" 

It .  was  his  turn  now  to  be  surprised.  In  some- 
what peevish  tone  he  said: 

"Of  course  I've  a  wife — everyone  knows  that." 

"What's  her  name?" 

"Helen — Helen  Traynor."  Enthusiastically,  he 
added:  "Oh,  you'd  just  love  my  wife  if  you  only 
knew  her.  She's  the  sweetest,  the  most  unsel- 
fish  " 

The  nurse  looked  at  him  curiously. 

"So  your  name  is  Traynor,  is  it?  We've  tried 
to  find  out  for  a  long  time.  But  there  were  no 

335 


THE    MASK 


marks  on  your  clothes  when  you  were  picked  up. 
We  did  not  know  who  you  were  and  so  have  not 
been  able  to  communicate  with  any  of  your  friends. 
We  guessed  you  were  a  man  of  social  position  by 
your  hands  and  teeth,  and  we  knew  your  name  be- 
gan with  a  T  because  of  the  monogram  on  the 
signet  ring  on  your  finger." 

"Pick  me  up?"  he  echoed.  "Where  did  they  pick 
me  up?  What  has  happened?  Was  it  an  acci- 
dent?" 

"You  were  found  unconscious,  drifting  in  the 
ocean,  clinging  to  a  spar,  and  were  brought  here 
by  a  sailing  vessel.  You  had  a  fracture  of  the  skull 
and  you  were  half  drowned.  It  is  supposed  that 
you  were  one  of  the  passengers  of  the  Abyssinia, 
which  took  fire  and  went  down  two  days  after  leav- 
ing Cape  Town,  but  as  several  passengers  and 
officers  whose  bodies  were  never  found  also  had 
names  beginning  with  T,  it  was  impossibly  to  iden- 
tify you." 

As  he  listened,  the  vacant,  stupid  expression  on 
his  face  gradually  gave  place  to  a  more  alert,  in- 
telligent look.  Indistinctly,  vaguely,  he  recalled 

336 


THE    MASK 


things  that  had  happened.  Slowly  his  brain  cells 
began  to  work. 

He  remembered  cabling  to  Helen  from  Cape 
Town  telling  her  of  his  sailing  on  the  Abyssinia. 
He  recalled  the  incidents  of  the  first  day  at  sea. 
The  weather  was  beautiful.  Everything  pointed  to 
a  good  voyage.  Who  was  traveling  with  him?  He 
could  not  remember.  Oh,  yes,  now  he  knew.  Fran- 
c,ois,  his  valet,  and  that  other  queer  fellow  he  had 
picked  up  at  the  diamond  mines — his  twin  brother. 
Yes,  it  all  came  back  to  him  now. 

Why  had  he  gone  to  the  diamond  mines?  Yes, 
now  he  knew — to  take  back  to  New  York  the  two 
big  stones  found  on  the  Company's  land.  He  had 
them  safe  in  a  belt  he  wore  round  his  waist  next 
to  his  skin.  The  second  night  out  he  went  to  bed 
about  midnight  and  was  fast  asleep  when  suddenly 
he  heard  shouts  of  "Fire !  Fire !"  Jumping  up  and 
looking  out  of  his  cabin  he  saw  stewards  and  pas- 
sengers running  excitedly  about.  There  was  a  red- 
dish glare  and  a  suffocating  smell  of  smoke.  Quick- 
ly he  buckled  on  the  belt  with  the  diamonds,  and, 
slipping  on  his  trousers,  went  out.  The  electric 

337 


THE    MASK 


lights  had  gone  out.  The  ship  was  in  complete  dark- 
ness. From  all  sides  came  shouts  of  men  and 
screams  of  frightened  women.  It  was  a  scene  of 
utter  demoralization  and  horror.  He  was  groping 
his  way  along  the  narrow  passage,  when,  suddenly, 
out  of  the  gloom  a  man  sprang  upon  him,  and,  taken 
entirely  by  surprise,  he  was  borne  to  the  deck  before 
he  had  time  to  defend  himself.  He  could  not  see 
the  man's  face  and  thought  it  was  one  of  the  pas- 
sengers or  sailors  who  had  gone  mad,  but  when  he 
felt  a  tug  at  his  belt  where  the  diamonds  were, 
he  knew  he  had  to  do  with  a  thief.  He  fought 
back  with  all  his  strength,  but  he  was  un- 
armed, while  the  stranger  had  a  blackjack  which 
he  used  unmercifully,  raining  fearful  blows  on 
his  head.  The  struggle  was  too  unequal  to  last. 
Weak  from  loss  of  blood,  he  relaxed  his  grip, 
and  the  thief,  dealing  one  fearful  parting  blow, 
tore  away  the  belt  and  disappeared.  His  life 
blood  was  flowing  away,  he  felt  sick  and  dizzy, 
but  just  as  the  thief  turned  to  run  he  managed  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  his  face.  Now  he  remembered 
that  face — it  was  the  face  of  his  twin  brother — 

338 


THB    MASK 


the  man  he  had  rescued  from  starvation  on  the 
veldt. 

Yes,  it  all  came  back  to  him  now,  like  a  horrible 
nightmare.  What  had  happened  since  then?  How 
could  he  tell,  since  all  this  time  his  mind  had  been 
a  blank  ?  Helen,  no  doubt,  believed  him  dead.  Mr. 
Parker  and  all  the  others  thought  he  had  gone 
down  with  the  ship.  But  what  of  his  valet,  Fran- 
c,ois,  and  his  cowardly,  murderous  brother — were 
they  saved?  If  so,  the  thief  had  the  diamonds,  and 
had  probably  disposed  of  them  by  this  time.  Per- 
haps there  might  still  be  time  to  capture  the  would- 
be  assassin  and  save  the  gems  for  the  Americo- 
Af  rican  Company.  Brother  or  no  brother,  he  would 
have  no  more  pity  on  the  unnatural,  miserable  cut- 
throat. The  first  step  was  to  let  his  friends  know 
where  he  was.  He  must  telegraph  at  once  to  Helen. 

Yet,  on  second  thought,  it  would  not  be  wise  to 
do  that.  If  Helen  really  believed  him  dead  and  was 
now  mourning  his  loss,  it  might  be  almost  a  fatal 
shock  if  suddenly  she  were  to  receive  a  telegram 
saying  he  was  alive.  Such  shocks  have  been  known 
to  kill  people.  A  better  plan  would  be  to  get  well 

339 


THE    MASK 


as  soon  as  possible,  leave  the  hospital,  and  go  to 
New  York.  Once  there,  he  could  go  quietly  to  his 
office  and  learn  how  matters  were. 

The  days  passed,  the  convalescent  making  speedy 
progress  toward  recovery,  and  in  a  few  weeks  more 
he  was  able  to  leave  the  hospital.  Making  himself 
known  quietly  to  a  San  Francisco  business  acquain- 
tance, he  was  quickly  supplied  with  funds  and  im- 
mediately he  turned  his  face  homeward. 

The  long,  overland  journey  was  tedious  and  ex- 
hausting, especially  in  his  present  weakened  condi- 
tion, and  even  those  who  knew  him  well  would 
hardly  have  recognized  in  the  pale  emaciated  look- 
ing stranger  with  ill  fitting  clothes  and  untrimmed 
full  growth  of  beard  who  emerged  from  the  train 
at  the  Grand  Central  Station,  the  carefully  dressed, 
well  groomed  Kenneth  Traynor  who,  only  a  few 
months  before,  had  sailed  away  from  New  York 
on  the  Mauretania. 

The  noise  and  turmoil  of  the  big  metropolis,  in 
striking  contrast  to  the  quiet  and  seclusion  of  the 
sick  room  in  which  he  had  lived  for  so  many  weeks, 
astonished  him.  The  crowds  of  suburbanites  rush- 

340 


THE    MASK 


ing  frantically  for  trains,  elbowing  and  pushing 
in  their  anxiety  to  get  home,  the  strident  hoarse 
cries  of  newsboys,  the  warning  shouts  of  wagon 
drivers  as  they  drove  recklessly  here  and  there  at 
murderous  speed,  the  blowing  of  auto  horns,  the 
ceaseless  hum  and  roar  of  the  big  city's  heavy  traf- 
fic— all  this  bewildered  and  dazed  him.  At  first 
he  did  not  remember  just  in  what  direction  to  turn, 
whether  he  lived  in  the  East  or  West  side,  uptown 
or  down.  But  as  he  got  more  accustomed  to  his 
surroundings,  it  all  came  back  to  him.  How  stu- 
pid— of  course  he  had  to  go  downtown  to  2Oth 
Street.  Once  more  he  was  himself  again.  Hailing 
a  taxi,  he  started  for  Gramercy  Park. 

Conflicting  emotions  stirred  his  breast  as  he 
drew  near  his  home.  What  joy  it  would  be  to  clasp 
Helen  once  more  in  his  arms.  How  delighted  she 
would  be  to  see  him!  Then  he  was  filled  with 
anxiety,  a  sudden  feeling  of  dread  came  over  him. 
Suppose  some  misfortune,  some  calamity  had  hap- 
pened during  his  absence!  Helen  might  have  met 
with  some  accident.  Baby  might  have  been  ill.  The 
worst  might  have  happened.  He  would  never  have 

341 


THE    MASK 


heard.     Perhaps  he  was  only  going  home  to  find 
his  happiness  wrecked  forever. 

The  driver  made  his  way  with  difficulty  down 
Fifth  Avenue,  threading  his  way  in  and  out  the 
entanglement  of  carriages  and  automobiles,  until, 
after  a  ten  minutes'  run,  turned  into  Gramercy 
Park  and  pulled  up  short  on  the  curb  of  the  Tray- 
nor  residence. 

Eagerly  Kenneth  put  his  head  out  of  the  window 
and  scanned  the  windows  for  a  glimpse  of  the  loved 
one,  but  no  one,  not  even  a  servant,  was  visible.' 
The  house  looked  deserted.  His  misgivings  re- 
turned. Stepping  out  hastily,  he  paid  the  driver, 
and.  running  up  the  steps,  rang  the  bell. 

Roberts,  the  faithful  old  butler,  who  had  been  in 
the  family  service  for  years,  came  to  open.  See- 
ing a  rather  shabbily  attired  person  outside,  he 
held  the  door  partly  closed  and  demanded,  sus- 
piciously : 

"Who  is  it  you  wish  to  see?" 

Irritated  at  the  manner  of  his  reception,  Ken- 
neth gave  the  door  a  push  that  nearly  knocked  the 
servant  over.  Angrily,  he  exclaimed : 

342 


THE    MASK 


"What's  the  matter,  Roberts?  Didn't  you  see  it 
was  me?" 

The  butler,  who  had  recovered  himself,  and  now 
believed  he  had  to  do  with  a  crank  or  some  person 
under  the  influence  of  liquor,  again  barred  the  way. 
Trying  to  push  the  unwelcome  visitor  out,  he  said 
soothingly : 

"Come  now,  my  good  man,  you've  made  a  mis- 
take. You  don't  live  here." 

Struck  almost  speechless  with  amazement  at  the 
brazen  impudence  of  one  whom  he  had  always  re- 
garded as  a  model  servant,  Kenneth  turned  round 
as  if  about  to  make  a  wrathful  outburst.  As  he 
turned,  the  light  from  the  open  door  fell  full  on  his 
face  and  now  for  the  first  time  Roberts  saw  the 
visitor's  features.  With  a  startled  exclamation  the 
man  fell  backward.  For  a  moment  he  was  so  sur- 
prised that  he  could  not  speak.  Then,  in  an  awe- 
stricken  whisper,  he  cried: 

"Who  are  you?" 

For  a  moment  Kenneth  thought  the  man  had 
suddenly  become  insane.  For  his  own  servant  not  to 
know  him  was  too  ridiculous.  At  that  moment  he 

343 


THE    MASK 


caught  a  glimpse  of  himself  in  the  mirror  of  the  hat 
stand.  Ah,  now  he  understood.  The  beard  and 
emaciated  face  had  made  quite  a  difference — no 
wonder  the  man  failed  to  recognize  him.  Breaking 
into  laughter  he  exclaimed: 

"No  wonder  you  didn't  recognize  me,  Roberts. 
I  have  changed  a  little,  haven't  I?  I've  grown  a 
beard  since  I  saw  you  last  and  been  through  a  regu- 
lar mill.  But  you  know  me  now  don't  you — I'm 
your  long  lost  master." 

The  servant  shook  his  head.  Still  closely  scruti- 
nizing Kenneth's  face  as  if  greatly  puzzled,  he  said : 

"You're  not  my  master,  sir.  Mr.  Kenneth  Tray- 
nor  left  the  house  some  ten  minutes  before  you 
arrived." 

Kenneth  stared  at  the  man  as  if  he  thought  he 
had  gone  clean  out  of  his  mind. 

"I  went  out  ten  minutes  before  I  arrived,"  he 
echoed.  "What  kind  of  nonsense  is  that,  Roberts  ?" 

"I  didn't  say  you  went  out,"  replied  the  servant, 
beginning  to  lose  his  patience.  "I  said  Mr.  Ken- 
neth Traynor  went  out.  You  are  not  Mr.  Kenneth 
Traynor." 

344 


THE    MASK 


"Then  who  in  the  name  of  heaven  am  I?" 

"I  haven't  the  remotest  idea,"  retorted  the  man. 
Condescendingly,  he  went  on:  "I  admit  you  look 
a  little  like  the  master."  Impatiently  he  added : 
"You  must  excuse  me.  I  want  to  close  the  door." 

Instead  of  obeying  the  hint  to  withdraw,  Ken- 
neth strode  further  into  the  house,  the  protesting 
and  indignant  butler  at  his  heels. 

"You  must  really  go,"  said  the  servant. 

Kenneth  turned  around. 

"Roberts — don't  be  a  fool.  Don't  you  know  me? 
I  know  why  you  don't  recognize  me.  You  all  think 
me  dead,  but  I'm  very  much  alive.  I  did  not  go 
down  on  the  Abyssinia.  I  was  picked  up  and  taken 
to  San  Francisco  and  have  been  in  a  hospital  there 
ever  since.  I  have  just  come  home.  Where's  my 
wife?" 

The  butler  stared  and  stood  motionless,  as  if  not 
knowing  what  to  make  of  it. 

"But  you  came  home  long  ago." 

"Who  came  home?" 

"You  did." 

"No,  I  didn't.  I've  been  in  San  Francisco  all  the 
345 


THE    MASK 


time.    How  could  I  be  here  if  I  was  sick  in  a  San 
Francisco  hospital?" 

"Then  who  is  the  other  Mr.  Traynor?" 

Now  it  was  Kenneth's  turn  to  be  surprised. 

"The  other  Mr.  Traynor?"  he  echoed  stupefied. 

"Yes — the  gentleman  who  looks  more  like  you 
than  you  do  yourself.  He  arrived  here  a  month 
ago.  We  all  took  him  for  you." 

For  the  first  time  a  light  broke  in  on  the  dark- 
ness. Who  was  the  person  who  looked  so  like  him 
that  he  could  successfully  impersonate  him?  Who 
could  it  be  but  the  man  who  left  him  for  dead  on 
the  Abyssinia  after  murderously  assaulting  him? 
Suddenly  a  horrible  thought  came  to  him.  Grasping 
the  butler's  arm  he  exclaimed: 

"My  wife?    Is  she  well?" 

"Yes,  sir.     Mrs.  Traynor's  quite  well." 

"And  Dorothy?" 

"Quite  well,  sir." 

"Thank  God!" 

The  servant  hesitated. 

"That   is— sir— Miss  Dorothy " 

"Out  with  it,  man.     Out  with  it." 
346 


THE    MASK 


"Mrs.  Traynor's  being  greatly  worried  sir,  lately. 
Miss  Dorothy  was  at  her  aunt's  in  Philadel- 
phia  " 

"Yes,  yes " 

"Someone's  run  away  with  Miss  Dorothy.  She's 
been  kidnapped." 

"My  God!" 

"But  Mrs.  Traynor  has  a  clue.  She  got  a  letter 
yesterday,  saying  where  the  child  was.  She 
wouldn't  confide  in  any  of  us  and  she  left  here  only 
half  an  hour  ago  to  go  to  the  place." 

Again  Kenneth  was  seized  by  panic. 

"Gone  to  a  kidnapper's  den.  Great  God!  She's 
running  a  terrible  risk.  Where  has  she  gone?  I'll 
go  to  her." 

"I  don't  know,  sir,  but  Mr.  Steell  may 
know " 

"Ah,  that's  right.    I'll  go  and  see  Steell." 

Not  waiting  to  say  more  he  rushed  down  the 
steps,  and,  hailing  another  taxi,  went  off  at  full 
speed  in  the  direction  of  Wilbur  Steell's  office. 


347 


CHAPTER   XX 

THE  startling  news  from  Philadelphia  that 
Dorothy  had  suddenly  disappeared  and 
was  believed  to  have  been  kidnapped,  fell 
upon  the  Traynor  home  with  the  crushing  force 
of  a  bombshell.  At  first  Helen  refused  to  credit 
the  report.  It  seemed  impossible  that  any  new 
suffering  was  to  be  inflicted  upon  her  after  what 
she  had  already  endured.  White  faced,  her  whole 
being  shaken  by  emotion,  she  read  and  re-read 
her  aunt's  letter,  telling  of  the  child's  mysterious 
disappearance,  and  when  at  last  she  could  read  it 
no  more  because  of  the  tears  that  blinded  her,  she 
threw  herself  limp  and  broken  hearted  into  Ray's 
arms.  Hysterically  she  cried: 

"What  have  I  done  that  I  should  be  made  to  suf- 
fer in  this  way?  My  God!  Where  is  my  child? 
This  maddening  suspense  will  kill  me." 

Ray  tried  to  soothe  her.    Reassuringly,  she  said : 
"Don't  worry,  dear.    Everything  will  be  all  right. 
348 


THE    MASK 


A  general  alarm  has  been  sent  out.  The  police  all 
over  the  country  are  searching  high  and  low.  It's 
only  a  question  of  a  few  hours  and  you'll  have  good 
news." 

But  the  hours  passed  and  no  news  came  to  cheer 
the  distracted,  broken-hearted  mother.  Dorothy 
had  disappeared  completely,  leaving  no  trace,  no 
clue  behind. 

There  was  neither  rest  nor  peace  for  the  Traynor 
household  that  day.  Helen,  almost  out  of  her  mind 
from  grief  and  worry,  refused  to  eat  or  sleep  un- 
til news  of  the  missing  child  was  received.  In  her 
agony  she  went  down  on  her  knees  and  prayed  as 
she  had  never  prayed  before  that  her  child  be  re- 
stored to  her. 

Her  little  daughter  was,  she  felt,  the  one  link 
that  still  bound  her  to  life.  To  her  husband  she 
felt  she  could  not  turn  for  sympathy.  The  romance 
of  their  early  married  life  had  been  shattered  for- 
ever by  the  extraordinary  change  that  had  come 
over  him.  He  had  long  since  ceased  to  be  to  her 
any  more  than  a  name.  In  her  heart,  she  had  come 
to  despise  and  detest  him  as  much  as  before  she 

349 


THE    MASK 


had  worshiped  the  very  ground  he  trod.  It  was 
an  astonishing  revulsion  of  feeling  which  she  was 
powerless  to  explain;  she  only  knew  that  the  old 
love,  the  old  passion  he  had  awakened  was  now 
quite  dead.  He  inspired  in  her  no  more  affection 
or  feeling  than  the  merest  stranger.  Ever  since  his 
return  from  South  Africa  they  had  lived  apart. 
Ever  since  that  first  night  of  his  return  when  their 
tete-a-tete  in  the  library  was  interrupted  by  the  bo- 
gus telegram,  he  had  quite  ceased  his  amorous  ad- 
vances. He  seemed  anxious  to  avoid  her.  Only  on 
rare  occasions,  and  then  it  was  by  accident,  did  they 
find  themselves  in  each  other's  company. 

In  fact,  he  was  practically  never  home,  living  al- 
most exclusively  at  the  club,  where  he  went  the 
pace  with  associates  of  his  choosing,  mostly  gam- 
blers and  men  about  town.  He  had  begun  to  drink 
hard  and  when  not  in  pool  rooms  or  at  the  races, 
betting  recklessly  on  the  horses,  squandering  such 
huge  sums,  and  overdrawing  his  check  account  so 
often  that  the  bank  was  compelled  to  ask  him  to 
desist,  he  sat  in  the  barrooms  with  his  cronies  till 
all  hours  of  the  morning  when  he  would  be  brought 

350 


THE    MASK 


home  in  a  condition  of  shocking  intoxication.  Hap- 
pily Helen  was  spared  the  spectacle  of  the  degrada- 
tion of  a  man  she  once  had  loved  with  all  the  force 
of  her  virgin  soul.  Roberts,  the  butler,  aided  by 
the  other  servants,  smuggled  their  intoxicated  mas- 
ter up  to  his  room,  where  he  remained  until  sober, 
when  he  went  back  to  his  club  only  to  repeat  the 
same  performance. 

To  such  a  man  she  could  not  turn  for  aid  or  con- 
solation in  the  hour  of  this  new  misfortune.  In- 
deed, ever  since  his  return,  he  had  been  strangely 
indifferent  to  the  welfare  of  the  child,  never  asking 
after  her  or  expressing  a  desire  to  see  her.  At 
times  it  seemed  as  if  he  had  forgotten  that  he  had  a 
child.  By  some  strange  metamorphosis  he  had  de- 
veloped into  an  unnatural  father  as  well  as  a  bru- 
tal, indifferent  husband. 

But  to  Helen,  alone  save  for  the  devoted  com- 
panionship of  her  sister,  this  was  anxiety  and  suf- 
fering enough.  Only  twenty- four  hours  had  passed 
since  the  child  disappeared,  but  to  the  unhappy 
mother  it  seemed  as  many  years.  Constantly  at 
the  telephone,  expecting  each  moment  to  hear  that 


THE    MASK 


the  police  had  been  successful  in  finding  the  child, 
she  was  gradually  wearing  herself  away  to  a 
shadow.  Breakfast  she  left  untouched.  Lunch  she 
refused  to  eat.  In  vain  Ray  remonstrated  with 
her.  If  she  went  on  like  that  she  would  fall  ill. 
But  still  Helen  refused.  Tears  choked  her,  and 
morning  wore  into  afternoon  and  still  no  news. 

After  lunch  Ray  went  out  to  see  if  Mr.  Steell 
could  help  them,  promising  to  return  as  soon  as 
possible.  Helen  sat  and  waited  alone.  The  clock 
was  just  striking  two  o'clock  when  the  front  door- 
bell rang  and  a  letter  was  brought  to  her.  She  did 
not  recognize  the  writing,  but  eagerly  she  tore  it 
open.  Instinctively,  she  felt  it  concerned  her  miss- 
ing darling.  The  letter  read  as  follows : 

No.  —  Lasalle  Street,  Bronx. 

Friday. 
Madame : 

Your  child  is  safe  and  in  good  hands.  She 
wants  to  see  her  mother.  If  you  come  this  after- 
noon (Friday)  to  the  above  address  you  can  see 
her.  It  is  the  house  with  the  closed  green  shut- 
ters. But  if  you  value  your  child's  life  you  must 
come  unaccompanied,  and  you  must  inform  no 
one  of  the  contents  of  this  letter,  not  even  the 

352 


THE    MASK 


members  of  your  family.  If  you  disobey,  swift 
punishment  will  follow  and  your  child  will  suffer. 
Climb  eight  flights  and  knock  three  times  on 
door  at  end  of  passage.  X. 

There  was  no  signature.  The  person  who  wrote 
it  evidently  had  reasons  of  his  own  for  wishing 
to  remain  concealed.  That  money  would  be  de- 
manded was  more  than  probable.  What  other  mo- 
tive could  the  kidnapper  have?  Money  she  would 
give — all  she  had  in  the  world,  if  only  she  could 
get  back  her  precious  child.  That  a  visit  to  such 
a  place  unattended  was  full  of  danger  she  did  not 
stop  to  consider.  She  only  knew  that  her  child 
was  close  by — here  in  New  York — and  had  asked 
for  her.  Not  for  a  moment  did  she  listen  to  the 
warnings  of  prudence.  Go  she  must,  and  immedi- 
ately. She  did  not  even  stop  to  leave  a  note  of 
explanation  for  Ray.  Stuffing  some  money  in  a 
bag,  she  left  the  house,  saying  she  would  return 
soon. 

Taking  the  Third  Avenue  "L"  she  left  the  train 
at  Tremont  Avenue,  and,  after  considerable  diffi- 
culty, found  the  house  indicated  in  the  letter.  Yes, 

353 


THH    MASK 


there  were  the  closed  green  shutters.  At  first,  on 
seeing  it  apparently  untenanted,  she  thought  she 
must  have  made  a  mistake  in  the  number,  but,  find- 
ing that  there  was  no  other  place  near  by  that  an- 
swered the  description  as  well,  she  decided  to  risk 
climbing  the  long  flight  of  stairs. 

Arrived  on  the  top  floor,  breathless  from  the  un- 
usual exertion,  she  saw  a  long  narrow  passage,  and, 
at  the  end  of  that,  a  door.  That,  no  doubt,  was  the 
place.  Her  heart  beating  violently,  she  went  up  to 
the  door  and  gave  the  three  knocks.  For  a  moment 
or  so  there  was  no  answer.  A  profound  stillness 
reigned.  Then  she  heard  footsteps  approaching. 
The  next  instant,  the  door  was  thrown  open  and 
a  man's  voice,  which  sounded  somewhat  familiar, 
told  her  to  enter. 

At  first  when  she  went  in,  she  could  see  nothing. 
All  the  shutters  of  the  windows  looking  on  the 
street  were  closed,  and  the  only  light  was  that  which 
filtered  through  the  slats.  It  was  an  ordinary,  cheap 
flat,  with  no  carpets  on  the  floors  and  little  or  no 
furniture.  On  the  floor,  scattered  here  and  there, 

354 


THE    MASK 


were  nailed-up  boxes,  and  parts  of  machinery,  some 
already  crated,  as  if  to  be  taken  away. 

"So  you've  come!  I  thought  you  would,"  said 
a  voice  behind  her. 

She  turned  and  found  herself  face  to  face  with 
Signer  Keralio. 

At  first  she  was  so  astonished  that  she  was  speech- 
less. Then  her  instinct  prompted  her  to  turn  and 
flee.  If  this  man  had  caused  her  to  be  decoyed  to 
this  house  it  could  be  for  no  good  purpose.  But 
there  was  no  way  of  egress.  The  front  door  was 
closed  and  locked.  Not  a  human  soul  was  within 
call.  She  was  alone  in  an  empty  house  with  the 
one  man  she  distrusted  and  feared  more  than  any 
one  else  in  the  world. 

Making  an  effort  to  conceal  her  alarm,  she  turned 
and  faced  him  boldly: 

"What  are  you  doing  here?"  she  asked. 

He  smiled — a  horrid,  cynical  smile  she  knew 
only  too  well. 

"Has  not  a  man  the  right  to  be  in  his  own  home  ?" 

She  started  back  in  surprise. 
355 


THE    MASK 


"This  your  home?"  she  exclaimed,  glancing 
around  at  the  scanty  and  shabby  furnishings. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Oh,  don't  judge  by  appearances.  I'm  really  very 
comfortable  here.  It's  away  from  the  world.  I 
like  to  work  undisturbed."  Significantly,  he  added : 
"Then,  you  see,  it  is  all  my  own.  I  am  quite  at 
home  here  in  my  own  house.  No  one  can  put  me 
out — not  even  you " 

She  raised  her  hand  deprecatingly. 

"Please  don't  remind  me  of  that.  I  have  for- 
gotten it  long  ago." 

His  eyes  flashed  dangerously  as  he  made  a  step 
near  and  exclaimed : 

"You  have,  but  I  have  not.  I  have  not  forgotten 
that  you  put  me  out  of  your  house  ignominiously 
as  one  turns  out  a  servant.  I  have  neither  for- 
gotten nor  forgiven.  That  is  why  you  are  here  to- 
day." 

She  looked  at  him  in  utter  astonishment. 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

He  bowed  and,  with  mock  courtesy,  waved  her 
to  a  seat. 

356 


THE    MASK 


"I  will  tell  you.    Did  you  receive  a  letter  to-day?" 

"Yes— I  did." 

"You  came  here  in  answer  to  that  letter." 

"Yes— I  did." 

"Do  you  know  who  wrote  that  letter?" 

"No— not  the  least." 

"It  was  I— I  wrote  the  letter." 

With  a  stifled  cry  of  mingled  fright  and  amaze- 
ment, Helen  jumped  up  from  the  chair. 

"You  wrote  the  letter?"  she  exclaimed,  incredu- 
lously. 

He  nodded. 

"Yes— I  wrote  the  letter." 

Her  eyes  opened  wide  with  terror,  her  hands 
clasped  together  nervously,  she  exclaimed: 

"Then  you  are " 

He  bowed. 

"Exactly.    I  am  the  kidnapper  of  your  child " 

Speechless,  she  stared  at  him,  her  large  black  eyes 
opened  wide  with  terror.  Looking  wildly  about 
her  as  if  seeking  her  little  daughter,  she  gasped : 

"Dorothy?    Dorothy  here?    Where  is  she?" 

"She  is  safe,"  he  replied  calmly. 
357 


THE    MASK 


"Where  is  she,  where  is  she?  Take  me  to  her!" 
she  cried,  distractedly,  going  up  to  him  and  clasp- 
ing her  hands  in  humble  supplication. 

He  shook  off  the  hand  which,  in  her  maternal 
anxiety,  she  had  laid  on  his  arm.  Lighting  a  cigar- 
ette, he  gave  a  low  laugh. 

"Plenty  of  time.  There's  no  hurry.  You're  not 
going  yet." 

Anxiously,  she  scrutinized  his  face,  as  if  trying 
to  read  his  meaning. 

"She's  going  when  I  go,  isn't  she?" 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"That  depends — on  you." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

Again  he  waved  her  to  a  seat. 

"Sit  down  and  I'll  tell  you." 

Trembling,  she  dropped  once  more  on  to  a  chair 
and  waited.  He  puffed  deliberately  at  his  cigarette 
for  a  few  moments  and  then,  turning  his  glance  in 
her  direction,  he  smiled  in  a  peculiar,  horrible  way 
and  his  eyes  ran  over  her  figure  in  a  way  that  made 
the  crimson  rush  furiously  to  her  cheek.  There 
was  no  mistaking  that  smile.  It  was  the  bold,  lust- 

358 


run  MASK 


ful  look  of  the  voluptuary  who  enjoys  letting  his 
eyes  feast  on  the  prey  that  he  knows  cannot  now 
escape  him. 

"Mrs.  Traynor,"  he  began  in  the  caressing,  dul- 
cet tones  which  she  feared  more  than  his  anger, 
"you  are  un  exceptional  woman.  To  most  men  of 
my  temperament  you  would  not  appeal.  They  would 
find  your  beauty  too  statuesque  and  cold.  I  know 
you  are  clever,  but  love  cannot  feed  on  intellect 
alone.  I  have  loved  many  women,  but  never  a 
woman  just  like  you.  Your  coldness,  your  haughty 
reserve,  your  refinement  would  intimidate  most  men 
and  keep  them  at  a  distance,  but  not  me.  Your 
aloofness,  your  indifference  only  spurs  me,  only 
adds  to  the  acuteness  of  my  desire.  I  swore  to 
myself  that  I  would  conquer  you,  overcome  your 
resistance,  bend  you  to  my  will.  You  turned  me 
out  of  your  home.  I  swore  to  be  avenged." 

He  stopped  for  a  moment  and  watched  her  close- 
ly as  if  studying  and  enjoying  the  effect  of  his 
words.  Then,  amid  a  cloud  of  blue  tobacco  smoke, 
he  went  on: 

"I  knew  only  one  way  to  win  you — it  was  to 

359 


THB    MASK 


humiliate  you,  to  place  you  in  a  position  where  you 
would  have  to  come  to  me  on  your  knees." 

She  half  rose  from  her  chair. 

"I  would  never  do  that,"  she  cried.  "I  would 
rather  die!" 

"Oh,  yes,  you  will,"  he  continued,  calmly,  mak- 
ing a  gesture  to  her  to  remain  seated.  "When  I've 
told  you  all,  you'll  see  things  in  a  different  light." 
Fixing  her  steadily  with  his  piercing  black  eyes, 
he  asked:  "Have  you  noticed  any  difference  in 
your  husband  since  his  return." 

She  looked  up  quickly. 

"Yes — what  does  it  mean?     Can  you  explain?" 

He  nodded. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  your  husband  speak  of  a 
twin  brother  he  once  had?" 

Her  face  turned  white  as  death  and  her  heart 
throbbing  violently,  she  stared  helplessly  at  her  per- 
secutor. She  tried  to  be  calm,  but  she  could  not. 
Yet,  why  be  so  alarmed,  why  should  this  single 
question  so  agitate  her?  In  the  deepest  recesses  of 
her  being  she  knew  that  it  was  her  unerring  in- 
stinct warning  her  that  she  was  about  to  hear 

360 


THE    MASK 


something  that  would  entail  worse  suffering  than 
any  she  had  yet  endured. 

"Yes — yes — why  do  you  ask  ?"  she  gasped. 

"You  all  thought  the  brother  dead." 

"Yes." 

"You  were  mistaken.    He  is  alive." 

"Where  is  he?"  she  faltered. 

"Here  in  New  York." 

"Where?" 

"In  your  house.  The  man  who  returned  home 
was  not  your  husband.  He  was  your  husband's 
twin  brother." 

She  looked  at  him  as  one  bewildered,  as  if  she 
did  not  understand  what  he  was  saying,  as  if  words 
had  suddenly  lost  their  meaning.  Her  face,  white 
as  in  death,  she  faltered: 

"Not  Kenneth — then  where  is  Kenneth?" 

"He  is  dead!" 

Her  powers  of  speech  paralyzed,  her  large  eyes 
starting  from  their  sockets  from  terror,  an  expres- 
sion of  mute  helpless  agony  on  her  beautiful  face, 
she  looked  up  at  him  with  horror.  Not  yet  could 
she  fully  grasp  the  meaning  of  his  words.  At  last 

361 


THE    MASK 


the  frightful  spell  was  broken.  With  an  effort 
the  words  came : 

"Then  you,"  she  cried.     "You  are  his  assassin!" 

He  shook  his  head  as  he  replied  carelessly: 

"No— not  I— his  brother!" 

She  gave  a  cry  of  anguish  and,  starting  to  her 
feet,  made  a  movement  forward,  her  hands  clutch- 
ing convulsively  at  her  throat.  Air !  air !  She  must 
have  air.  She  felt  sick  and  dizzy.  The  room  was 
spinning  round  like  a  top,  and  then  everything  grew 
dark.  Lurching  heavily  forward  she  would  have 
fallen  had  he  not  caught  her. 

Instantly  she  shrank  from  the  contact  as  from 
something  unclean,  and  with  a  low  moan  sank  down 
on  a  chair  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands.  Her 
instinct  had  told  her  true.  Her  loved  one  was  dead, 
she  would  never  see  him  again,  and  that  man  who 
had  come  into  the  sanctity  of  her  home  and  fon- 
dled her  in  his  arms  was  his  murderer.  Oh,  it  was 
too  horrible! 

The  bitter,  cynical  smile  was  still  on  Keralio's 
lips  as  he  went  on: 

"You  see  the  folly  of  resisting  me.  Had  you 
362 


THE    MASK 


surrendered  at  that  time  all  might  have  been  well. 
The  price  was  not  too  much  to  pay.  I  would  have 
been  discreet.  No  one  but  ourselves  would  have 
known  that  you  and  I  were " 

He  did  not  complete  the  sentence,  for  at  that 
moment  she  sprang  forward  like  an  enraged  tiger 
cat,  and,  seizing  a  cane  that  stood  close  by,  struck 
him  across  the  face  with  all  the  force  of  her  out- 
raged womanhood. 

"Murderer!  Assassin!"  she  cried  indignantly. 
"How  dare  you  talk  like  that  to  me?  I  will  de- 
nounce you  to  the  whole  world.  I  will  not  rest  till 
I  see  you  and  that  other  scoundrel  punished  and 
my  poor  husband  is  avenged.  On  leaving  here  I 
shall  go  direct  to  the  police." 

Imbued  with  strength  she  never  dreamed  she 
possessed,  she  was  about  to  hit  him  again  when 
he  seized  the  cane  and  threw  it  away.  But  across 
his  pale,  handsome  face  lay  a  telltale  red  mark,  the 
smart  of  which  burned  into  his  soul. 

His  eyes  flashed  with  anger  and  he  made  a  visi- 
ble effort  to  control  himself.  He  took  a  step  for- 
ward and,  as  he  advanced  she  saw  an  expression  in 

363 


THB    MASK 


his  face  which  prompted  her  to  retreat  precipitately. 
It  was  a  dangerous  look,  the  look  of  a  man  who 
knew  he  had  a  helpless  woman  in  his  power,  a  man 
who  was  desperate  and  would  stop  at  nothing  to 
encompass  his  ends.  Now  thoroughly  frightened, 
she  looked  around  for  some  way  to  escape.  The 
windows  were  impossible,  the  only  way  was  by  the 
door  and  he  barred  the  way.  Besides,  she  would 
never  go  without  her  child. 

He  noticed  the  movement  and  look  of  alarm,  and 
he  smiled.  Continuing  to  advance,  he  said: 

"There's  no  use  making  a  fuss.  No  one  could 
hear  you  if  you  shouted  for  help  till  the  crack  of 
doom.  You  are  alone  with  me — and  absolutely  in 
my  power.  Do  as  I  ask  and  there  is  nothing  you 
shall  not  have.  Refuse,  and  I  answer  for  nothing. 
Come " 

Her  whole  body  trembling,  her  face  white  with 
terror,  she  kept  on  retreating : 

"Leave  me  alone !"  she  gasped,  "or  I  will  scream." 

"Scream  away,"  he  laughed.  "There's  no  one 
here  to  hear  you." 

Suddenly  he  made  a  quick  lunge  forward  and 

364 


THH    MASK 


seized  her.  She  struggled  and  resisted  with  all  the 
energy  born  of  despair,  pushing,  twisting,  scratch- 
ing. But  they  were  too  unevenly  matched.  She 
was  like  an  infant  in  the  grasp  of  an  Hercules. 
Slowly,  she  felt  her  strength  leaving  her.  His  iron 
grasp  gradually  closed  on  her,  nearer  and  nearer 
he  drew  her  into  his  embrace. 

With  a  last,  superhuman  effort,  she  managed  to 
wrench  herself  free,  out  of  his  grip,  and  breaking 
completely  away,  she  fled  into  the  next  room.  But 
he  was  after  her  in  a  minute  and  again  seized  her, 
but  not  before  she  screamed  at  the  top  of  her  voice : 

"Help!  Help!  Kenneth!  Wilbur!  Help!  Help!" 

He  tried  to  gag  her  mouth  to  stifle  her  cries,  but 
it  was  too  late.  His  quick  ear  caught  the  sound  of 
approaching  footsteps  in  the  outside  hall.  Almost 
at  the  same  instant  there  was  a  loud  knocking  at 
the  door. 

Keralio  fell  back,  his  face  white  and  tense.  Had 
his  plans  failed  at  the  eleventh  hour,  could  anyone 
have  played  him  false?  If  the  game  was  up,  they 
should  never  take  him  alive.  Leaving  Helen,  he 
drew  a  revolver,  and,  going  quickly  into  the  inner 

365 


THE    MASK 


hall,  he  waited  in  grim  silence  for  the  visitors  to 
force  an  entrance. 

"Open  the  door,  or  we'll  break  it  in!"  shouted 
a  stern  voice  outside.  "There's  no  use  resisting. 
The  place  is  surrounded." 

Still  no  answer.  Keralio  stood  grimly  in  the 
shadow  of  the  parlor  doorway,  revolver  in  hand, 
while  Helen  cowered  in  the  inner  room,  in  momen- 
tary expectation  of  a  tragedy. 

Crash!  The  front  door  fell  in,  shattered  into  a 
thousand  splinters,  and  through  the  breach  thus 
made  rushed  Wilbur  Steell,  Dick  Reynolds,  and 
half  a  score  husky  Central  Office  detectives,  re- 
volvers in  hand. 

"There  is  he!"  cried  the  lawyer,  pointing  to 
Keralio. 

Quick  as  a  flash,  the  Italian  raised  the  revolver 
and  fired,  the  bullet  entering  the  plastered  wall  an 
inch  away  from  the  lawyer's  head.  Almost  simul- 
taneously, another  pistol  shot  rang  out,  but  this 
time  the  aim  was  truer,  for,  with  a  cry  of  baffled 
rage,  Keralio  threw  his  arms  above  his  head  and  fell 
fo  the  floor  dead.  Quickly,  one  of  the  detectives 

366 


THE    MASK 


stooped  down  and  compared  his  face  with  a  pho- 
tograph he  had  taken  from  his  pocket. 

"Yes "  he  exclaimed;  "that's  the  fellow- 
well  known  counterfeiter.  Did  time  in  San  Quen- 
tin  and  Joliet.  Known  as  Baron  Rapp,  Richard 
Barton  and  a  dozen  other  aliases.  He's  one  of  the 
slickest  rogues  in  the  country.  We've  got  the  valet 
safe  downstairs.  I  guess  he'll  get  twenty  years." 

But  Steell  had  not  waited  to  hear  about  Keralio. 
There  were  others  more  important  to  think  about. 
Rushing  into  the  inner  room,  he  found  Helen  pros- 
trate, half  fainting  from  fright. 

"Thank  God,  I'm  in  time!"  he  exclaimed. 

"Dorothy,"  she  murmured  weakly.  "Save  Doro- 
thy! She's  somewhere  here." 

Going  into  another  room,  the  lawyer  found  the 
little  girl  fast  asleep  on  a  bed.  Bringing  her  to 
her  mother,  he  said  tenderly: 

"Here's  your  treasure.    Now  you  can  be  happy." 

She  shook  her  head.  The  nightmare  of  what 
Keralio  had  told  her,  still  obsessed  her. 

"No — "  she  shuddered;  " — never  again.  They 
have  killed  him!" 

367 


THH    MASK 


To  her  surprise,  the  lawyer,  instead  of  sharing 
her  sorrow,  actually  smiled. 

"Helen,"  he  said;  "I  have  a  great  surprise  for 
you.  A  friend  has  accompanied  me  here.  He  called 
at  your  house  to-day,  but  you  had  just  left,  so  he 
called  on  me.  You  have  not  seen  him  since  he 
sailed  away  three  months  ago  on  the  Mauretania" 

She  listened  bewildered.  Her  color  came  and 
went.  What  did  he  mean?  Could  it  be  possible 
that — no,  had  not  Keralio  said  he  was  dead  ?  Trem- 
bling with  suppressed  emotion,  she  whispered : 

"Tell  me— what  is  it— tell  me " 

For  all  reply,  the  lawyer  went  to  the  door  and 
beckoned  to  someone  who  had  waited  in  the  outer 
hall.  A  moment  later  a  man  entered,  a  tall,  well 
set  figure  that  was  strangely  familiar.  Straining 
her  eyes  through  her  tears,  it  seemed  to  her  that 
her  mind  must  be  playing  her  some  trick,  for  there 
before  her,  stood  Kenneth,  not  the  impostor  her  in- 
stinct had  warned  her  to  detest  and  avoid,  but  the 
real  Kenneth  she  had  loved,  the  father  of  her  child. 
With  a  joyous  exclamation,  she  tottered  forward. 

"Kenneth!"  she  cried. 

368 


THE    MASK 


The  man,  his  athletic  form  broken  by  sobs,  opened 
his  arms. 

"My  own  precious  darling!" 

A  moment  later  they  were  clasped  in  each  other's 
arms.  Ah,  now  she  knew  that  he  had  come  home! 
This,  indeed,  was  the  husband  she  loved.  There 
was  no  deception  this  time.  Wonderingly,  she 
turned  to  Steell. 

"How  did  it  happen?"  she  asked  wonder- 
ingly. 

"We'll  tell  you  later — not  now,"  he  replied. 

She  shuddered  as  she  asked  in  a  low  voice. 

"But  where  is  his  brother?" 

"Dead!  He  shot  himself  at  the  club.  Kenneth 
and  I  went  to  confront  him  at  the  club  before  com- 
ing here.  It  was  his  only  way  out." 

The  detective  stepped  forward.  Addressing  the 
lawyer  and  holding  out  two  enormous  diamonds  that 
sparkled  like  fire  in  the  sunlight,  he  said: 

"We've  just  found  these,  together  with  a  lot  of 
counterfeit  money." 

The  lawyer  laughed  as  he  took  charge  of  the 
diamonds. 

369 


THH    MASK 


"It'll  please  Mr.  Parker  to  see  these.  Come 
Dick.  Our  work  is  done." 

Kenneth  put  his  arms  around  his  wife. 

"Safe  in  port  at  last,  dear." 

"You'll  never  go  away  again,"  she  murmured 
through  her  tears. 


THE    END 


By  ARTHUR  HORNBLOW 

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A  Great  Novel  With  a  Great  Purpose. 

{Catherine's  Sheaves  is  altogether  delightful,  a  charming  piece  of 
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terization, its  brilliant  pictures  of  life,  and  its  dramatic  situations,  but 
Still  more  for  its  philosophy  and  wisdom. 

The  story  is  a  dramatic  one,  abounding  in  strong  situations. 

The  plot  is  well  conceived  and  carried  out,  the  style  easy  and  the 
characters  likable. 

I2mo,  Cloth,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 

Step  by  Step 

Judged  as  a  story  pure  and  simple,  "STEP  BY  STEP"  is  altogether 
delightful.  But  it  is  not  merely  a  charming  piece  of  fiction.  Ethical  in 
its  nature,  the  underlying  thought  shows  throughout  the  lofty  purpose 
and  high  ideals  of  the  author,  and  exhales  a  wholesome  atmosphere,  whfle 
the  element  of  romance  pervading  it  is  both  elevated  and  enriched  by  its 
purity  and  simplicity. 

izmo,  Cloth,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 

Gertrude  Elliot's  Crucible 

It  is  a  readable  story,  dean,  wholesome,  and  high  in  moral  tone- 
optimistic  and  constructive. 

It  has  an  alluring  plot,  and  is  well  and  skillfully  worked  out.  The 
incidents  are  dramatic,  and  therefore  always  striking,  and  the  entire 
romance  will  hold  the  attention  of  the  reader. 

I2mo,  Cloth  Bound,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 

Redeemed 

Dealing  with  divorce — the  most  vital  problem  in  the  world  to-day 
—this  book  tells  how  a  pure-minded  woman  is  divorced  from  her  hus- 
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he  suffers  when  he  learns  that  he  has  thrown  away  the  true  disinterested 
love  of  a  noble  woman,  and  how  he  craves  that  love  again,  makes  a 
vivid,  forceful  story  of  an  intensely  modern  significance. 

I2mo,  Cloth,  Illustrated.    Popular  Edition,  50  cents. 


Popular  Detective  Stories 
by  Fergus  Hume 


Claude  Duval  of  '95 

Coin  of  Edward  VII,  A 

Disappearing  Eye,  The 

Green  Mummy,  The 

Lady  Jim  of  Curzon  Street 

Mandarin's  Fan,  The 

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Pagan's  Cup,  The 

Rainbow  Feather,  The 

Red  Window,  The 

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Popular  edition,  I2mo,  cloth.    Per  volume,  50  cents 


A     000  040  453     3 


